Skip to main content

BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Emotion Science
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1352320

Aversion to light is associated with impulsivity

Provisionally accepted
Alicia C. Lander Alicia C. Lander 1*Andrew J. Phillips Andrew J. Phillips 1Elise M. McGlashan Elise M. McGlashan 1,2*Sean W. Cain Sean W. Cain 1
  • 1 Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
  • 2 The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Exposure to bright light can be visually aversive. This study explored the association between light aversion and various facets of impulsivity. A total of 1,245 participants completed the UPPS-Impulsive Behaviour Scale to assess five facets of impulsivity. Additionally, participants responded to questions regarding their aversion to light (e.g., how aversive do you find bright light?). Spearman's correlation coefficients (rho) revealed that individuals who find light physically aversive, or who experience a negative physical response to exposure (e.g., nausea or headache) triggered by bright indoor light or sunlight, tend to act impulsively under extreme negative and positive affect. Individuals who experience a negative physical response to exposure display greater premeditation, indicating a higher likelihood of considering the potential consequences of their actions. Moreover, these individuals score lower on sensation-seeking, suggesting a reduced inclination to seek out thrilling or novel experiences.These results reveal a complex relationship between light aversion and impulsivity, where those who find light aversive tend to be less impulsive in general, but more impulsive under extreme positive or negative affect.

    Keywords: Light aversion, impulsivity, ipRGCs, circadian rhythms, light sensitivity

    Received: 08 Dec 2023; Accepted: 30 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Lander, Phillips, McGlashan and Cain. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Alicia C. Lander, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
    Elise M. McGlashan, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Victoria, Australia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.