The identification of these different dispositions has several advantages for impulsivity researchers in general and for alcohol researchers in particular. First, it was developed through empirical organization of the many existing measures of impulsivity, so early measures of impulsivity can be placed along one of the five dimensions (Whiteside & Lynam 2001). Table 1 provides an overview of these relationships. Second, it clarifies the types of processes that lead to rash action. Distinctions among emotion-based, conscientiousness-based and sensation seeking-based dispositions are of obvious clinical importance and likely reflect differences in etiology. Third, the five traits are easily integrated with existing comprehensive models of personality (Costa & McCrae 1992; Whiteside & Lynam 2001). Fourth, there is some evidence that there are distinct heritable contributions to them (Jang, Livesley & Vernon 1996). Fifth, the different dispositions have different concurrent and prospective external correlates (Whiteside et al. 2005; Anestis et al. 2007; Billieux et al. 2007; Cyders et al. 2007; Cyders & Smith 2007, 2008; Smith et al. 2007; Fried, Cyders & Smith 2008; Gay et al. 2008). With respect to alcohol use,
