Ordalie, sensation-seeking and impulsivity. Critical analysis of definitions.

Article in French

Egal A(1), Donon C(1), Jakubiec L(2), Lambert L(2), Fatseas M(3), Auriacombe M(4).

Author information:
(1)Université de Bordeaux, 121, rue de la Béchade 33076 Bordeaux cedex, France;
Equipe phénoménologie et déterminants des comportements appétitifs, Sanpsy CNRS
USR 3413, 121, rue de la Béchade 33076 Bordeaux Cedex, France; Filière
Addictologie, CH Cadillac, 89, rue Cazeaux-Cazalet, 33410 Cadillac, France; Pôle
interétablissement d’addictologie et filière régionale hospitalo-universitaire,
CH Charles-Perrens et CHU de Bordeaux, 121, rue de la Béchade 33076 Bordeaux
Cedex, France.
(2)Université de Bordeaux, 121, rue de la Béchade 33076 Bordeaux cedex, France;
Equipe phénoménologie et déterminants des comportements appétitifs, Sanpsy CNRS
USR 3413, 121, rue de la Béchade 33076 Bordeaux Cedex, France; Pôle
interétablissement d’addictologie et filière régionale hospitalo-universitaire,
CH Charles-Perrens et CHU de Bordeaux, 121, rue de la Béchade 33076 Bordeaux
Cedex, France.
(3)Université de Bordeaux, 121, rue de la Béchade 33076 Bordeaux cedex, France;
Pôle interétablissement d’addictologie et filière régionale
hospitalo-universitaire, CH Charles-Perrens et CHU de Bordeaux, 121, rue de la
Béchade 33076 Bordeaux Cedex, France.
(4)Université de Bordeaux, 121, rue de la Béchade 33076 Bordeaux cedex, France;
Equipe phénoménologie et déterminants des comportements appétitifs, Sanpsy CNRS
USR 3413, 121, rue de la Béchade 33076 Bordeaux Cedex, France; Pôle
interétablissement d’addictologie et filière régionale hospitalo-universitaire,
CH Charles-Perrens et CHU de Bordeaux, 121, rue de la Béchade 33076 Bordeaux
Cedex, France; Center for studies of addiction, department of psychiatry,
Perelman school of medicine, university of Pennsylvania, Phildelphia, PA,
États-Unis. Electronic address: .

BACKGROUND: In the fields of psychology and psychiatry, the use of the terms
impulsivity, sensation-seeking and ordalie to refer to risk-taking behaviors can
sometimes be confusing.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to establish a clinical definition of
the concepts of ordalie, sensation-seeking and impulsivity, in order to analyze
the similarities and differences between these concepts.
METHODS: We prioritized literature review articles with or without meta-analysis
from the Medline database and supplemented with the Google-Scholar database. The
articles were included in this review if their objectives were in line with ours.
The research was conducted in November 2018.
RESULTS: Twenty-seven articles were selected. There are similarities in the
clinical definitions of these concepts with measurable heterogeneous
constructions, and an exacerbation in adolescence for engagement in harmful
behaviors, but there are also nuances that highlight their differences.
CONCLUSION: We were able to describe areas of divergence and convergence between
these three concepts but not to establish a quantitative diagram of the areas of
divergence and convergence. It would seem that the coexistence of
sensation-seeking and impulsivity in the same individual could explain that
individual’s involvement in ordalique behaviors. Further studies approaching this
hypothesis would seem useful in terms of preventing risk-taking behaviors such as
addictive behaviors.

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Auteurs Bordeaux Neurocampus