Research Article

An investigation of the correlations between aggression, impulsiveness, social problem-solving, and alcohol use

  1. Mary McMurran1,*,
  2. Marie Blair2,
  3. Vincent Egan3

Article first published online: 4 NOV 2002

DOI: 10.1002/ab.80017

Issue

Aggressive Behavior

Aggressive Behavior

Volume 28, Issue 6, pages 439–445, 2002

Additional Information

How to Cite

McMurran, M., Blair, M. and Egan, V. (2002), An investigation of the correlations between aggression, impulsiveness, social problem-solving, and alcohol use. Aggr. Behav., 28: 439–445. doi: 10.1002/ab.80017

Author Information

  1. 1

    School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales

  2. 2

    Department of Clinical Psychology, St Andrew's Hospital, Northampton, England

  3. 3

    Department of Psychology, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland

*School of Psychology, Cardiff University, PO Box 901, Cardiff, CF10 3YG, Wales

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 4 NOV 2002
  2. Article first published online: 4 NOV 2002
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 11 JUL 2001
  4. Manuscript Received: 12 JAN 2001

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Keywords:

  • aggression;
  • impulsiveness;
  • problem-solving;
  • alcohol use

Abstract

Impulsivity has been shown to predict aggression and heavy drinking in males, and poor social problem-solving has been identified as a potential mediating variable in this relationship. We set out to investigate the inter-relationships among impulsiveness, social problem-solving, aggression, and alcohol use in a non-offender sample of British males (N=70). Of our proposed relationships, only two were significant: higher impulsivity was related to poorer social problem-solving, and poorer social problem-solving was related to greater aggression. Combining impulsivity and social problem-solving indicated that poor social problem-solving, not impulsivity, was what exerted the influence over aggression in this sample. Impulsivity perhaps presents an obstacle to learning in the early developmental years, and the legacy of poor problem-solving is what later contributes to aggression. Aggr. Behav. 28:439–445, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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