Cross-sectional research suggests that these five impulsivity-related traits have different external correlates. Both negative and positive urgency correlate with problematic involvement in several risky behaviors, including alcohol consumption, whereas sensation seeking correlates with the frequency of engaging in risky behaviors [20, 21, 25, 26, 27]. When the traits are studied together cross-sectionally, sensation seeking does not correlate with drinking problems, neither urgency trait correlates with drinking frequency, and neither lack of planning nor lack of perseverance explain unique variance in any type of drinking behavior [21]. Negative and positive urgency differentially relate to risky behaviors undertaken while in an extremely negative and positive mood, respectively [20].
