Abstract
Impulsivity can be displayed by situations that are stressful to the
individual, when they expect a reward, but this expectation is
frustrated. Although some studies show that men are more impulsive when
compared to women, there is no scientific consensus about this fact. To
better understand the possible differences between gender and
impulsivity, 100 young university students (aged 18 to 24 years old; M =
21.0; SD = 1.9), of whom 65% were women, participated in this study.
Two methods of measuring the construct were utilized: 1) self-reported,
using the Barratt Impulsivity Scale; and 2) behavioral, using the
Balloon Analogue Risk Task. In addition, the relationship between
impulsivity measures and anger and aggression and daily stress were
explored. The results reveal small association between self-reported
motor impulsivity and behavioral impulsivity in the whole sample. Higher
impulsive behavior was observed for men in the behavioral task, but this
result was not observed for self-reported impulsivity. Potential
explanations for these findings are discussed taking into account
differences between measures and limitations of each assessment.