Sensation Seeking Scale Form V

What it measures

Measures four dimensions of the general tendency to seek novel, complex, and intense sensory experiences and to take risks for the sake of such experience. Thrill and Adventure Seeking captures desire for outdoor activities involving physical risk and speed. Experience Seeking captures seeking novel experiences through travel, art, music, nonconformity, and unconventional friends. Disinhibition captures sensation seeking through social and sexual domains — partying, alcohol, and variety of partners. Boredom Susceptibility captures intolerance of repetition, routine, and predictable people. Sensation seeking is a foundational personality trait in risk behaviour research and predicts extreme sport participation, substance use, gambling, impulsive consumer behaviour, and novelty seeking in product choice.

Response format

Forced-choice pairs (A vs B)

Representative items

• (A) I would like to try parachute jumping. / (B) I would never want to try jumping out of a plane. (A = TAS)
• (A) I sometimes like to do things that are a little frightening. / (B) A sensible person avoids activities that are dangerous. (A = TAS)
• (A) I like to have new and exciting experiences even if they are unconventional. / (B) I prefer a more routine way of life. (A = ES)
• (A) I like to go to parties that get out of hand. / (B) I prefer quiet parties with good conversation. (A = DIS)

Usage notes & scoring

Four subscale scores and a Total SSS score. Higher = greater sensation seeking. Sensation seeking declines with age and is higher in males on TAS and DIS subscales. The Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS-8; Hoyle et al., 2002) provides a 2-item-per-subscale alternative. SSS-V is in the public domain. Widely used in research on adventure tourism, extreme sport marketing, risk communication, and substance use prevention.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Zuckerman, M., Eysenck, S.B.G., & Eysenck, H.J. (1978). Sensation seeking in England and America: Cross-cultural, age, and sex comparisons. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46(1), 139–149.

Keywords