Sensation seeking (thrill seeking)

Sensation seeking, sometimes called thrill seeking, is a personality trait characterized by an active pursuit of stimulation through new physical, legal, financial, or social experiences, challenges, and sometimes risks. Many innovators, scientists, and artists are sensation seekers who make use of this personality trait for socially acceptable projects. However, some sensation seekers are attracted to and participate in dangerous activities that put themselves and others at risk of injury or death. An individual’s likelihood to participate in sensation-seeking activities can be measured by the Sensation Seeking Scale, developed in the 1960s by Marvin Zuckerman. Using this test, policy makers, educators, and doctors can reasonably predict human behaviors and encourage sensation-seeking individuals to participate in interesting, but safe, activities.

Background

In the 1960s, Marvin Zuckerman of the University of Delaware developed a psychological test known as the Sensation Seeking Scale. This test is used to mark the beginning of the modern study of sensation seeking and is administered as a questionnaire that inquires about the amount of stimulation required to produce an exciting experience. While the original test was designed for adults, modifications have been made so that the test can also be given to children and young adults.

Zuckerman’s study and theories are different from older psychological studies in that they propose that sensation seeking is not linked to other personality traits. Previously, researchers had argued that extroverted individuals (those who are most sociable, talkative, and assertive) would also be the most excitable and prone to sensation seeking. Zuckerman’s research team challenged this assumption and proposed that there might not be a link between extroversion and sensation seeking, meaning that introverted individuals (who are less social, talkative, and assertive) might be just as prone to sensation-seeking activities as extroverted individuals.

Many individuals exhibit sensation-seeking behaviors, some only moderately and others excessively. Those classified by Zuckerman as "high sensation seekers" express a need for high levels of stimulation and respond poorly to situations that they find to be boring. While all humans like to be entertained or satiated by their experience, Zuckerman claims that for sensation seekers, reaching the "optimum level of arousal" takes a high level of stimulation. For many of these individuals, the rate of sensation-seeking behaviors increases throughout childhood, peaks during adolescence, and declines in late adolescence. Some adults, however, maintain a high level of sensation-seeking behaviors throughout their lives. While both men and women participate in sensation-seeking activities, research has indicated that males are more likely to do so. Cross-cultural studies conducted in Australia, Canada, and Spain indicate a consistency in this gender division, at least in Western societies.

Evidence of sensation seeking can be found in many different individual, group, and private or public activities. Some of these behaviors include speeding and ignoring traffic rules, which lead to an increased risk of accidents resulting in driver injuries. Sensation seekers are also more likely to use alcohol and controlled substances. Some researchers believe that when sensation-seeking individuals gather in like-minded groups, they might amplify or encourage each other’s sensation seeking through the use of alcohol and drugs. Some sensation seekers also participate in risky sexual behavior.

Yet not all sensation-seeking behaviors are negative or risk bodily harm. Sensation seekers are often credited with taking new approaches to problems, a habit that can lead to many societal benefits; they often look for work in scientific and social services that provides an outlet for innovative and creative behaviors. For this reason, Zuckerman indicates that sensation seeking is a normal personality trait, which sometimes, but not always, includes risks to the self and others.

Overview

Zuckerman’s Sensation Seeking Scale can measure sensation-seeking inclinations. This exam, initially developed in 1964 and then revised as researchers learned more about the trait, asks sets of questions to determine which type of sensations are preferred by the test taker. The scale is divided into four subsections, each addressing a different type of sensation. The "thrill and adventure seeking" subsection measures the desire for activities that involve danger or speed, such as flying, skydiving, bungee jumping, and other extreme sports. The second subsection, "experience seeking," measures the desire for a nonconformist lifestyle, such as becoming part of fringe social groups, taking controlled substances to produced altered mental states, or traveling to unknown environments. The third subsection measures "disinhibition," or the desire for a loss of control in social or sexual situations. The final subsection, "boredom susceptibility," measures how strongly an individual reacts to repetition.

The Sensation Seeking Scale that was developed in the 1960s was created for adults. To ensure that children were properly assessed, a new scale, called the Sensation Seeking Scale for Children, was developed in 1991. This scale and the accompanying exam are similar to the adult exam, except that because the questionnaire was designed for children from seven to twelve years old, it does not assess for sexual topics or the use of illegal substances. Similar to its predecessor, the scale designed for children has been refined and will continue to be altered to best test the complicated trait.

The results of a Sensation Seeking Scale can be interesting for an individual who is seeking to better understand their own behaviors. The scale is also a helpful tool for educators, social workers, and other community members who are attempting to identify and assist people who are most likely to engage in risky and sometimes deadly behavior. Scholars are working to discover whether a high score on a Sensation Seeking Scale might predict alcohol abuse or might be an indicator of risky driving behaviors. After identifying individuals who might be at risk of these behaviors, educators work to provide constructive sensation-seeking experiences that meet and manage the person’s desires.

Additionally, research into sensation seeking continues as part of an effort to determine whether the trait can be inherited, whether genes play a role, and whether biological factors contribute to increased levels of desire to engage in sensation-seeking behavior; studies have examined identical and fraternal twins and have used modern technology to scan the brain and examine possible biological components, such as neurotransmitters. Recent research has allowed researchers to develop genetic risk scores to evaluate the effects of genetic variants to help predict an individual's need for sensation seeking behavior.

Bibliography

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Shulman, Elizabeth P., et al. "The Development of Impulse Control and Sensation‐Seeking in Adolescence: Independent or Interdependent Processes?" Journal of Research on Adolescence 26.1 (2016): 37–44. Print.

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Zuckerman, Marvin. Sensation Seeking: Beyond the Optimal Level of Arousal. Hillsdale: Erlbaum, 1979.