Sensation Seeking
“a trait defined by seeking of varied, novel, complex & intense sensations &
experiences & the willingness to take physical, social, legal & financial risks
for the sake of such experience”
Introduction
• Marvin Zuckerman, (university of Delaware)
• Sensation seeking scale
• Individual differences in sensory stimulation
• Strong sensory stimulation & low sensory stimulation
• Extent of excitement
• zuckerman’s hypothesis
4 dimensions (sub-traits)
1) Thrill & adventure seeking (TAS)
2) Experience seeking (ES)
3) Disinhibition (Dis)
4) Boredom susceptibility (BS)
Risk factor
• Correlate of SS
• Associated with novel & complex situations & experiences
• Not a primary motive
• +ve outcome of obtaining arousal
• Physical, legal, financial or social
• Use of alcohol & drugs, promiscuous sexual activities, high risk sports,
gambling, volunteering..
2 forms of Sensation Seeking
i. Impulsive unsocialized sensation Seeking (ImpUSS)
• Dis, ES & BS and Psychotism from EPQ-R-S
ii. Non impulsive unsocialized sensation Seeking
• TAS
Relationship to other personality models..
• Constellation of personality traits related to a primary group of personality
traits.
• No agreement about no. of personality traits exists.
• 2 common taxonomies
• One of a handfull of core traits that describe human personality
• Independent of other major dimensions (factor analysis)
• Related to extraversion (Eysenck & Costa & McGrae)
• +ve correlation b/w ES & openness to experience
• ImpSS strongly related to psychotism & conscientiousness
Behavioural features
• High sensation seekers (Dis & BS) : more conniving, non conforming & lacks
planning skills
• High level of stimulation in daily life
• More likely to engage in speeding (both M & F)
• High risk behaviours
• Alcohol use (Dis & ES)
• Peer influence & ss
• Sexual behaviour (particularly related to Dis)
• High risk sexual behaviours
• Permissive sexual attitudes
• Asthetical sense
• Prefer arousins music (hard rock, enigma)
• Enjoy surreal paintings over representational ones
• Unpleasant art forms (violence, agression)
Vocational choices
• Involving novel, stimulating & unconventional activities require flexibility
• Males high in ss choose scientific & social science professions (psy,psych,sw)
• Adventerous (Fire fighters, mountain rescue & mine rescue squads.)
• Sportsman professions like race car driver, mountain climber, parachutists..)
• High ss +vely correlated with
o Novel situations
o Stimulating surroundings
o Unstructured tasks
o Flexibility in their approach
Characteristics
• Sensation seekers can achieve an adequate level of arousal via socially
acceptable means & behaviours
• Volunteers
• Subjects for experiments
• Less anxiety in risky situations
• Travel more & to less familiar places
• Intrepret the world differently than non-sensation seekers
• Don’t view the enviornment as threatning & leading to –ve consequences
• Tend to surround themselves with others that have similar ss characteristics
Biological correlates
• Brain imaging studies
• Size of ippocampus & ES behaviour
• Brain areas activation to arousing stimuli
• Heritability accounts 60% ( study of identical twins)
• Levels of cortisol
Important measures
• Barrat Impulsiveness Scale (Barrat,1985,1995)
• Eysenck Impulsiveness Scale (Eysenck,1985)
• Behavioural Constraint factor of the Multidimentional Personality
Questionnaire (MPQ, Tellegen,1982)
• Zuckerman-Kulhman personality questionnaire (1993)
• +ve correlation with gonadal hormones
