The Influence of Impulses on Human Behavior - Coursework Example

Influence of Impulses on Human Behavior Affiliated> Abstract Sometimes it is hard to understand why people behave differently from one another. Others act so aggressively that they commit crimes. Although it is believed people have a common ancestry, with human behaviors, thinking and reactions derived from apes, it is still difficult to understand a number of phenomena that happen to human lives triggered by actions and choices. Researchers argue that, human impulses control the way people think or behave. This review is sought to investigate how impulses control humans, in terms of thinking, reaction and how they respond to various changes. It will also explain the strange behaviors of humans resulting from impulse disorders and the general mystery behind these reactions, considering an impulse from the personality of psychology point of view through theories. Keywords: impulses, psychology, behavior. Influence of Impulses on Human Behavior The human body is like a complex machine; with myriad parts that work on their own in performing specific functions. The behavior of impulses has long been observed by various psychologists. The human impulse is a wonderful phenomenon. It controls the entire human perception. Humans have the ability to control impulses compared to other species and that mark the humans’ psychological maturity. Most of the humans are never keen about thinking before acting. This is because perception is not for a person’s alone, but perception of truth, evil, reality and sanity. The entire brains functions within the concept of perception. It is therefore important to understand what controls human behavior, whether bad or good. The concept of Impulse As impulsiveness is an important aspect of life that is behind human behavior, many theories in psychological personality address various qualities, from a range of different backgrounds and perceptions (Carver & Scheier, 2008). These theories include the psychodynamic, trait, temperament, self-regulation, and biological process. The emphases of these theories depend on the difference in the tendency to be impulsive. In other cases, the emphases depend on the variation of process from one another, resulting to impulsive reaction. Human impulse as a basic concept of behavior has interesting characteristics in various concepts. When triggered in spontaneity, impulsiveness brings a sense of freedom to the character (Breivic, 2010). In other cases, survival requires the action of impulse to respond to stimuli, for instance, when a threat or an opportunity arises (Langewiesche, 2009). Unfettered impulses can bare a person from clinching long term goals. It can also make a person break social norms paving way to conflicts and violence (Albino, 2008). Researcher (Boone, 2012) wrote the following: Persistent expression of impulses without considering the future or the needs of people can largely affect the person’s well-being and their social relationship. (p. 134) Psychodynamic of Personality This is the best known approach to the concept of impulse in psychology. It has been known for ages in the structural model of psychology (Freud, 2011). Id and Ego Under this view, the Id is known to generate impulses and the ego restrains it. The ego is said to evolve as a mode of function that formulates mechanisms to take into account the social pressure. In other words, the ego restrains the impulses generated by the id to await an appropriate time to unleash them. On this theory, the ego takes charge as the id turns severally against the realities of the prevailing physical or social atmosphere. In reality, what brings such confrontations is the release of impulses in the wrong time and place. Presumably, the impulses restrained by the ego are triggered by actions of adrenaline that causes anxiety and restlessness. The need to avoid the danger that follows via a triggered impulse is the core course of the restrictions. According to the recent studies, the ego has been found to have a developmental elaborate array of defense mechanisms to reduce anxiety or prevent them from happening. Superego Under the role of superego in this theory, personality is obviously viewed under the subject conscience that produces prohibited urges. The general function of the superego is determining rules to apply in decision making. Ego control and Ego Resilience In this theory, ego control and ego resilience are independent. However, it is hard for an ego control person in their extreme to be more resilient than people with normal ego control. At the end, individuals with normal ego control are those with high ego resilience (Robins & Moffitt, 2007). Ego control According to psychoanalyst, Jeanne Block (2009), ego functions to foster adaptation to the environment. In their view, a good adaptation should have at least two aspects. The first aspect should learn to restrain impulses if they might create problems. Another aspect is being able to handle the world and its characters. In simple words, a good adaptation means understanding when to restrain and when to act instead of being free and uncontrollable. Ego control is an extent to which an individual can inhibit the action of impulses. To some extreme cases, some individuals “undercontrol” cannot delay gratification. These characters express their feelings immediately or act instantly. In regard to psychoanalysis, they are seen as dominant over the id. On the other hand, there are those who “overcontrol”, who delay gratification. At some point, they seem to deny themselves everything including pleasure. They inhibit the response of their impulses, and insulate themselves from distractions. In terms of psychoanalysis, they are seen to be ego-dominated. Ego Resilience This is another aspect of adaptation in this theory. It simply refers to capacity to modify the usual level of ego control in a direction to adapt to a given prevailing situation. Individuals with low ego resilience cannot restrain themselves from the way they relate to the current situation. Fortunately, these characters are resourceful and adapt with ease to any change of a situation. The Five-factor Model These factors are: 1) Neuroticism 2) Extraversion 3) Conscientiousness 4) Agreeableness 5) Openness or intellect They include at least two main factors that relate to an impulse. The main one is conscientiousness. A factor that is referred as partly rashness and lack of organization, at the low end, in relation to painful or focused deliberation, at the high end. It deals and defines the restraint of haphazard impulse as a caution. It is closely related to an extent at which people consider future outcomes or consequences, when choosing their actions (Stratham & Edward, 2008). These traits of conscientiousness predict. It is involved in various particular behaviors that reflect impulses in relation to restraint. They are also related to negotiation and conflict solving strategies (Campbell, 2009) Agreeableness is another trait that is involved in the issues of impulses. It is involved in reflecting the level of a person’s concern in maintaining relationships. It is recognized partly for limiting negative feelings, at the high end (Digman, 1990). Agreeableness is relevant to impulse in the fact that, certain amount of impulsive behavior is in regard to selfishness, me-first and other related aggressive qualities. There is evidence that individuals who have low agreeableness mostly perceive power in resolving conflicts than those who have a high agreeableness. In other similar cases, persons with low agreeableness experience more conflicts than those with higher agreeableness (Martin, 2003). Psychodynamic of Perspective This perspective is largely based on the ideas formulated by a famous ancient psychologist and scholar Sigmund Freud. Human Violence Human violence is a behavior triggered by specific traits of impulses, and the topic is one of the major disciplines of psychology. Psychologists usually reflect on a person’s characteristic behavior in relation to the environment in terms of sociology that is a producer of violent behavior. From the psychological point of view, conflicts that arise at various psychosexual stages of development might impact a person’s ability to operate normally as an adult (Barton, 2012). A great psychologist (Englander, 2007) said the following: Aggregation is an id based human impulse involved in well adjusted people with experience of normal childhood. However, if the aggressive impulse is not controlled well, some aggression can escape from the unconscious of a person hence causing violent behavior. (p. 177) Human Behavior According to the behaviorist, Barratt (2008), people are not born with violent behaviors. Instead, violent people learn to think and act violently as a result of their daily experiences, in relation to their surroundings or where they are brought up. (p. 137-146) Research on family life has revealed facts about the source of aggressiveness. It shows that aggressive children usually adapt their behavior from parents, hence model to be violent. In other cases on the same topic, people who live in violent communities usually model the same aggressive behavior of their people (Bartol, 2011). According to behaviorists, the following factors enhance violence behaviors: 1) Stress conditions, challenge or stimuli. 2) Aggressive skills or techniques learnt from others. 3) The belief that aggression is socially rewarded with praise, reducing frustration or fighting back to avoid losing. 4) A system that allows violence. Impulse Disorders As a number of people have the tendency and ability to control their impulses, there are others who have problems controlling them. People with impulse control disorders cannot resist the feeling or urge to do something harmful, especially when angered. Impulse disorders include addictions to alcohol, eating habits, gambling, sexual fantasies, suffering, humiliation, stealing and others. Disorders such as kleptomania, pyromania, and compulsory gambling are the same in how they begin and progress. According to psychologist, before the victim acts, they experience tension and arousal. The person will experience pleasure, gratitude and relief. People with impulse disorders never plan to act, but they tend to do so just to fulfill the urge. Controlling Impulse Disorders Resent study reveal that, opioid antagonists may reduce human urges hence reducing impulse disorders. One of the opioid antagonists is the naltrexone that can be used in some particular impulse disorders. Nalmefene, as another opioid is still under test. Generally, human behavior, response or action is driven by impulses that act like brains inside all body parts. It is important to understand adult personality and response to various situations that is as a result of theories whose focus lies on impulses. People who behave badly or who act violently are not born with hostility but either acquires it with time or have a disorder that they cannot escape its urge. It is therefore important to understand what makes people do the things they do without thinking about the consequences. In this regard, people should learn to control their impulses. References Barrat, E. (2008). Impulsiveness Sub-traits: Arousal and Information Processing. New York: Elsevier. Casey, B. Durston, S. (2011). Evidence for a Mechanic Model of Cognitive Control. Clinical Neuroscience Research, 1, 237-283. Carver, C. & Scheier (2008). Negative Effects from Behavioral Approach: Emotion. New York: Springer-Verlag. Cooper, M. & Wood, P. (2012) Personality and Predisposition to Engage in Risky or Problem Behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 390-410. Diener, E. (2009). Introduction to Special Section on Personality Development. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 78, 120-122. Read More