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Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology pp 871–873Cite as

Disinhibition

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Synonyms

Impulsivity

Definition

Disinhibition can be defined as the inability to withhold a prepotent response or suppress an inappropriate or unwanted behavior. It can refer to the production of socially inappropriate comments and/or actions.

Historical Background

Inhibition has been a topic of study in the field of psychology and physiology since the nineteenth century. Early work on inhibition focused on trying to understand control of behavior and the interaction between structure and function. Many scholars were involved in shaping early ideas about inhibition, and the following are noteworthy contributors: Marshall Hall, Alexander Bain, Theodor Ribot, Ivan Pavlov, and B.F. Skinner.

Current Knowledge

Disinhibition can include a wide variety of behaviors, such as impulsivity (e.g., aggression, impatience, binge eating, gambling), risk taking, novelty or sensation seeking, carelessness, perseveration, acquired extroversion, nonplanning, a preference for smaller immediate rewards...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. UCSF Epilepsy Center University of California, 400 Parnassus Avenue, 94143-0138, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Deborah A. Cahn-Weiner & Julene K. Johnson

Authors
  1. Deborah A. Cahn-Weiner
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  2. Julene K. Johnson
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Professor of Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry Virginia Commonwealth University – Medical Center Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, VCU, 980542, Richmond, Virginia, 23298-0542, USA

    Jeffrey S. Kreutzer

  2. Kessler Foundation Research Center, 1199 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ, 07052, USA

    John DeLuca

  3. Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Neurology and Neuroscience, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – New Jersey Medical School, New Jersey, USA

    John DeLuca

  4. Independent Practice, 564 M.O.B. East, 100 E. Lancaster Ave., Wynnewood, PA, 19096, USA

    Bruce Caplan

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Cahn-Weiner, D.A., Johnson, J.K. (2011). Disinhibition. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_1293

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