Behavioral Expressions and Biosocial Bases of Sensation Seeking

Sensation seeking is a trait describing the tendency to seek novel, varied, complex, and intense sensations and experiences and the willingness to take risks for the sake of such experience. The first sensation seeking scale (SSS) was developed in the early 1960s and since that time the instrument and the theory of the trait have evolved as a function of continuing research around the world. The author describes the research and theory on sensation seeking with emphasis on new findings since 1979. Researchers have found behavioral expressions of sensation seeking in various kinds of risk-taking behaviors such as driving habits, health, gambling, financial, alcohol and drug use, sexual behavior, and sports. The trait is also involved in vocational preferences and choices, job satisfaction, social, premarital and marital relationships, eating habits and food preferences, media and art preferences, humor, fantasy, creativity and social attitudes. The author here describes its modes of assessment, behavioral expressions, and genetic and psychobiological bases. This book presents the only available study of this fascinating topic and it will be sure to interest researchers and their students active in personality research.