can also be understood in the context of current use, such as when someone turns to alcohol when faced with environmental stressors, or even initiation of use, for example when youth combat influences such as peer pressure to drink; drinking alleviates peer pressure in the moment, even though worse consequences may be around the corner. This type of a paradigm would add an important alternative methodological approach that could be done hypothetically or with real events in laboratory or naturalistic settings. This paradigm would provide an important negative reinforcement conceptual complement to the current positive reinforcement approach that dominates the delay discounting and impulsivity literature. Critically important to this expanded focus is research that juxtaposes the study of disordered sensitivity to reinforcement with abnormal cognitive control. As reviewed above, these are two major conceptualizations within the study of impulsive behavior. The relationship of these variously-defined constructs not only to alcoholism, but also to each other, will provide key insights for understanding how impulsive behavior promotes alcohol use disorders.
