Sensation seeking

Sensation seeking is a personality trait defined by the seeking of varied,

novel, complex and intense sensations & experiences and the willingness to
take physical, social, legal, and financial risks for the sake of such
experiences (Zuckerman, 1994). It is a general personality trait that has
been extensively studied in psychological research. The concept was
developed by Marvin Zuckerman of the University of Delaware. In order to
assess this trait he created a personality test called the Sensation-Seeking
Scale. This test assesses individual differences in terms of sensory
stimulation preferences. There are people who prefer a strong stimulation
and display a behavior that manifests a greater desire for sensations and
there are those who prefer a low sensory stimulation. The scale is a
questionnaire designed to measure how much stimulation a person requires
and the extent to which they enjoy the excitement. Zuckerman hypothesized
that people who are high sensation seekers require a lot of stimulation to
reach their Optimal Level of Arousal. When the stimulation or sensory input
is not met, the person finds the experience unpleasant. Currently, the
explanation for sensation seeking is based on a model influenced by genetic,
biological, psycho physiological and social factors.
Typically, this personality trait is conceptualized in terms of its four sub-traits
or sub-scales. Thrill and adventure seeking, experience seeking, disinhibition,
and boredom susceptibility (Zuckerman, Eysenck, & Eysenck, 1978).

i. Thrill and adventure seeking (TAS) describes a trait which

predisposes individuals to seek adventure through socialized, but risky
and exciting activities such as adventure sports (Trimpop, 1994). It is
the pursuit of physical activities that are exciting, unusual and
potentially dangerous e.g: sky-diving, scuba diving, and flying.
ii. Experience seeking involves seeking sensation through the mind,
senses and through a non-conforming lifestyle (Zuckerman, 1979). It is
the stimulation through the mind and senses; the pursuit of unfamiliar
and complex environmental stimuli, as through travel or meeting new
people.
iii. Disinhibition involves seeking behaviours such as the consumption of
alcohol, drugs and involvement in illegal acts. It is described as a
sensation seeking trait common among criminals and juvenile
delinquents. It is the searching for opportunities to lose inhibitions by
engaging in variety in sex, alcohol, drugs etc.
iv. Boredom susceptibility represents an aversion to monotonous,
invariant situations. It is suggested that those high on boredom
 susceptibility experience restlessness when exposed to such
monotonous situations (Zuckerman, 1979).

Zuckerman argues that sensation-seeking is one of a handful of "core traits"

that can be used to describe human personality. Although, other researchers
including Eysenck, and Costa and McCrae considered the trait to be related
to extraversion, factor-analytic studies conducted by Zuckerman suggest
that sensation seeking is relatively independent of other major dimensions of
personality. A number of studies have found positive correlations between
sensation seeking, especially the experience seeking component,
and openness to experience. Within Eysenck's "Big Three" model of
personality, impulsive sensation seeking is most strongly related
to psychoticism and within the Big Five personality traits it is primarily
related to conscientiousness.

Zuckerman (1994) defined impulsive, unsocialized sensation seeking

(ImpUSS) and non-impulsive socialized sensation seeking as two
forms of sensation seeking. Glicksohn and Abulafia (1998) suggest that
impulsive, unsocialized sensation seeking (ImpUSS) is comprised of three
subcategories on the SSS-V (Disinhibition, Experience Seeking, and Boredom
Susceptibility) and the Psychoticism (P) scale from the EPQ-R-S. Non-
impulsive, socialized sensation seeking is comprised of the Thrill and
Adventure Seeking (TAS) subscale of the SSS V.
Sensation seeking individuals tend to engage in behaviors that increase the
amount of stimulation they experience. Such behaviors (e.g., interest in
stimulating occupations, drug use, driving recklessly, etc.) involve seeking
out arousal. The activities to fulfill the preferred arousal vary in the amount
of risk associated with them. Risk taking is a correlate of sensation seeking
but is not a primary motive in behavior (Zuckerman, 1994). Sensation
seekers accept risk as a possible outcome of obtaining this arousal, yet do
not seek out risk for its own sake (Zuckerman, 1994). High sensation seekers
who have elevated scores on Disinhibition and Boredom Susceptibility
subscales are more conniving, nonconforming, nonconventional, and lack
planning skills (Glicksohn & Abulafia, 1998).
Zuckerman's research has found that high sensation seekers tend to seek
high levels of stimulation in their daily lives. The scale predicts how well
people tolerate sensory deprivation sessions. Sensation seeking increases
with age from childhood to adolescence. It then starts to decreases after it
peaks in the late adolescence years of 18-20. Substantial gender differences
have been found in sensation seeking, with males scoring significantly higher
than females. Marital status is also related to sensation seeking, as studies
have found that divorced males tend to be higher in the trait compared to
single or married men. A longitudinal epidemiological study conducted by
Caspi et al. (1997) found that personality temperament styles, personality
traits, and childhood developmental history were related to different health-
risk behaviors in adulthood.
Sensation seeking is related to driving speed, with both males and females
high in sensation seeking more likely to engage in speeding. High sensation
seekers are more likely to ignore traffic rules and engage in high risk
behaviours associated with accidents or crashes resulting in driver injuries.
Alcohol use has been linked to sensation seeking, especially the disinhibition
and experience seeking subscales. Peer influences and sensation seeking
appear to mutually reinforce each other in their influence on substance use.
High sensation seekers tend to engage in high risk sexual behavior such as
having multiple sexual partners and failing to use condoms to protect
themselves against disease. They also tend to have permissive sexual
attitudes. Risky sexual behaviour is particularly related to the disinhibition
facet of sensation seeking. High sensation seekers are also more likely to be
unfaithful to partners whilst in a committed romantic relationship.
High sensation seekers prefer listening to arousing music such as hard rock
rather than classical instrumental. High sensation seekers are also more
likely to enjoy surreal paintings over representational ones or unpleasant art
forms (defined as presence of violent or aggressive content or themes of
death and despair).

Sensation seekers tend to prefer occupations involving novel, stimulating,

and unconventional activities and unstructured tasks requiring flexibility.
Low sensation seekers tend to prefer more structured, well-defined tasks
involving order and routine. Males high in sensation seeking tend to choose
scientific and social service professions. . Occupations including firefighters,
mountain rescue, and mine rescue squads tended to have higher thrill and
adventure seeking scores when compared with sportsmen professions (e.g.,
race car drivers, mountain climbers and parachutists). The sportsmen group
also had elevated thrill and adventure seeking scores of the SSS-V. Among
females, traditional vocations (e.g. housewife or home economics teacher)
tend to be associated with low sensation seeking. Kish and Donnenwerth
(1969) found that certain occupations on the Strong Vocational Interest
Blank (SVIB) correlated with scores on a sensation seeking scale.
Sensation seekers can achieve an adequate level of arousal via socially
acceptable means. The definition of sensation seeking identifies that
stimulation can be in the form of socially acceptable activities and behaviors.
High sensation seekers are more likely than other individuals to volunteer for
experiments (Trice & Ogden, 1986), especially if the experiment is described
as dangerous in nature. High sensation seekers also travel more and to less
familiar places and have less anxiety in risky situations. One socially
acceptable expression of sensation seeking is engaging in certain high
impact sports, such as rock climbing, scuba diving, hang gliding, and
parachute jumping. Sports are a modality for individuals to obtain an
increased level of arousal. High sensation seekers generally participate in
sports in general at a higher rate than low sensation seekers (Zuckerman,
1994). Individuals with high Thrill and Adventure Seeking score enjoy non-
risky, stimulating recreational activities (Joireman et al., 2002). High
sensation seekers interpret the world differently than non-sensation seekers
(Franken et al., 1992; Horvath & Zuckerman, 1993). Low sensation seekers
generally appraise risky or stressful situations as threatening and leading to
negative consequences and anticipate longer time to recover. Yet, high-
sensation seekers appraise the environment as less threatening.
Various measures of sensation seeking have been proposed: the Barratt
Impulsiveness Scale—Version 1.0 (BIS; Barratt, 1985; Patton, Stanford, &
Baratt, 1995), the Eysenck Impulsiveness Scale (EIS; Eysenck, Pearson,
Easting, & Allsopp, 1985b), and the Behavioral Constraint factor of the
Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ; Tellegen, 1982). But they
do not provide the most detailed way to identify sensation-seeking
characteristics. A more detailed analysis of sensation seeking can be
obtained with two self-report instruments—the Sensation Seeking Scale V
(SSS-V; Zuckerman et al., 1978) and the Zuckerman–Kuhlman Personality
Questionnaire (ZKPQ; Zuckerman et al., 1993).
Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS) Form V
Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS) Form V (1978), an inventory for assessing
sensation seeking traits on four sub-levels; thrill and adventure seeking
(TAS), experience seeking (ES), disinhibition (Dis), and boredom
susceptibility (BS). They are four modes of sensation seeking. It is a forced
choice instrument consisting of 40 items each having two options. The
internal reliabilities of TAS, ES, Dis, BS and Total Sensation Seeking scores
(form V) are .77, .61, .14, .57, and .84 respectively (Zuckerman et al., 1978).
The Sensation Seeking Scale Form IV has demonstrated convergent validity
with several other personality scales (Trimpop, 1994) and has also
demonstrated predictive ability with many criterion measures including
involvement in risky sports, illegal drug use and promiscuous sexual
behaviors.

Aim

To assess the individual differences in optimum levels of stimulation and arousal.

Method

Materials Required

1. Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS) Form V

2. Manual

Participants

Group:

Age Range: Male: Female:

Gender:

Procedure

The participants were seated comfortably and rapport was established with them. They were told briefly
about the purpose of the study and informed consent was taken from him/her. They were assured about
the confidentiality and requested to fill up the demographic data sheet where information regarding their
age, gender and education were recorded.

The Sensation Seeking Scale Form V was given to each of the participants. The instructions
given were as follows: “each of the items below contains two choices, A and B. please indicate a
circle of your answer sheet which of the choices most describes your likes or the way you feel. In
some cases you may find items in which both choices describe your likes or feelings. Please
choose the ne which better describes your likes of feelings. In some cases you may find items in
which you do not like either choices and in these cases mark the choice you dislike least. Please
try to answer each item. It is important that you respond to all items with only one choice, A or
B. We are interested only in your likes or feeling, not in how others feel about these things or
how one is supposed to feel. There is no right or wrong answers as on other kinds of tests. Be
frank and give your honest appraisal of yourself.” Their doubts were cleared and the scales were
collected back. They were thanked for their participation.

Scoring

The Sensation Seeking Scale Form V was scored with the help of the scoring key. The responses
showing high sensation seeking behavior were given in the key for 40 items and one point is
added if the participant’s response falls in the high sensation seeking behavior responses. The
sum of the points yields the total sensation seeking score. The minimum score is 0 and maximum
score is 40. Using the similar procedure total scores of four dimensions (boredom susceptibility,
disinhibition, experience seeking & thrill and adventurous seeking) can be found. The minimum
score for each dimension can be 0 and maximum score can be 10.

The total sensation seeking score is interpreted as follows: 0 as nil, 1-10 as low, 11-30 as
moderate and 31-40 as high sensation seeking behavior. The scores of each dimension are
interpreted as 0 as nil, 1-3 as low, 4-6 as moderate and 7-10 as high.

Table

Thrill &
Boredom Disinhibition Experience Adventurous Sensation Seeking total
susceptibility seeking seeking

Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD

Male 3.73☼ 1.55 3.73☼ 1.92 4.67☼ 1.81 6.6● 2.04 18.6* 4.15
Female 3.27☼ 2.15 4.27☼ 1.98 4.07☼ 1.94 5.87☼ 2.17 18.27* 4.18
Total 3.58☼ 1.76 3.91☼ 1.94 4.47☼ 1.85 6.36● 2.09 18.49* 4.12
*moderate ☼ low ●high

Results, Discussion, Conclusion

References