Sensation seeking is a trait that can be inherited, which means that it can run in families (Hardy & Woodman, 2019). People who have high levels of sensation seeking tend to have lower levels of nervous system activation, which means that they need more stimulation to feel satisfied (Hardy & Woodman, 2019). They are often seeking ways to increase their level of arousal, and they find experiences that are exciting, intense, and complex to be more rewarding (Zuckerman, 2007).
People who score high on the sensation seeking scale may be more likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as gambling, drug use, and criminal activity. They may also be drawn to high-risk sports, such as skydiving or extreme snowboarding (Barlow et al., 2013; Zuckerman, 2007). However, it’s important to note that not all people who engage in these activities are sensation seekers (Hardy & Woodman, 2019).
There are different ways to measure sensation seeking, including the Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS-V) (Zuckerman, 1979), the Arnett Inventory of Sensation Seeking (AISS) (Arnett, 1994), and the Sensation Seeking, Emotion Regulation and Agency Scale (SEAS) (Barlow et al., 2013). These tests measure different aspects of sensation seeking, such as thrill and adventure seeking, experience seeking, disinhibition, and boredom susceptibility.
Overall, sensation seeking is a complex trait that influences how people respond to stimulation and seek out new experiences. While it can lead to risky behaviors, it can also drive people to seek out new challenges and explore the world in unique ways.
Arnett, J. (1994). Sensation seeking: A new conceptualization and a new scale. Personality and Individual Differences, 16, 289296.
Barlow, M., Woodman, T., & Hardy, L. (2013). Great expecta- tions: Different high-risk activities satisfy different motives. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 105, 458475.
Hardy, W., & Woodman, T. (2019). In D. Hackfort, R. J. Schinke, & B. Strauss (Eds.), Dictionary of sport psychology: Sport, exercise, and performing arts. Academic Press.
Zuckerman, M. (1979). Sensation seeking: Beyond optimal levels of arousal. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Zuckerman, M. (2007). Sensation seeking and risky behavior. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.