Disinhibition

What is disinhibition?

Disinhibition is reduced restraint over something a person would otherwise hold back: an action, a thought, or an emotional expression.

How it works

“Holding back” covers several processes. Nigg’s review of inhibitory control distinguishes these processes, which is why disinhibition describes a pattern without identifying one cause.

The online version is familiar. Someone may share more personal information online, or say something hostile they would hold back in person. Suler’s account of online disinhibition proposes interacting influences such as anonymity and reduced visibility.

Other causes and examples of disinhibition

Disinhibited behavior can also occur outside online settings. A meta-analysis of alcohol experiments found that acute alcohol consumption impaired response inhibition in laboratory tasks. That result concerns difficulty stopping a response; it does not predict every action a person will take.

After traumatic brain injury, some people have difficulty regulating behavior or suppressing responses. A review of impulsivity and related terms after brain injury describes examples such as speaking too quickly or acting without regard for social consequences. Impulsivity and disinhibition overlap, but researchers use several distinct definitions and measures.

Is it good or bad?

That depends on what gets expressed and what happens next. More personal disclosure and more hostility can both reflect reduced restraint. Neither means the internet has revealed someone’s “true self.” Look at the action and the situation before turning one impulsive moment into a diagnosis or a verdict on their personality.