Integrating affect and impulsivity: The role of positive and negative urgency in substance use risk

•This invited paper provides a review of urgency theory.•First, the authors reviewed empirical evidence related to urgency theory as specified by Cyders and Smith (2008, Psychological Bulletin).•Second, the authors discussed new advances in urgency theory.•Third, the authors suggested new directions for urgency research.

BackgroundThe personality traits of positive and negative urgency refer to the tendencies to act rashly when experiencing unusually positive or negative emotions, respectively.MethodsThe authors review recent empirical work testing urgency theory (Cyders and Smith, 2008a) and consider advances in theory related to these traits.ResultsEmpirical findings indicate that (a) the urgency traits are particularly important predictors of the onset of, and increases in, substance use in both children and young adults; (b) they appear to operate in part by biasing psychosocial learning; (c) pubertal onset is associated with increases in negative urgency, which in turn predict increases in adolescent drinking behavior; (d) variation in negative urgency trait levels are associated with variations in the functioning of an identified brain system; and (e) variations in the serotonin transporter gene, known to influence the relevant brain system, relate to variations in the urgency traits.ConclusionA recent model (Carver et al., 2008) proposes the urgency traits to be markers of a tendency to respond reflexively to emotion, whether through impulsive action or ill-advised inaction (the latter leading to depressive symptoms); this model has received empirical support. The authors discuss new directions for research on the urgency traits.