Sensation seeking: A comparative approach to a human trait

Abstract

A comparative method of studying the biological bases of personality compares human trait dimensions with likely animal models in terms of genetic determination and common biological correlates. The approach is applied to the trait of sensation seeking, which is defined on the human level by a questionnaire, reports of experience, and observations of behavior, and on the animal level by general activity, behavior in novel situations, and certain types of naturalistic behavior in animal colonies. Moderately high genetic determination has been found for human sensation seeking, and marked strain differences in rodents have been found in open-field behavior that may be related to basic differences in brain neurochemistry. Agonistic and sociable behaviors in both animals and humans and the trait measure of sensation seeking in humans have been related to certain common biological correlates such as gonadal hormones, monoamine oxidase (MAO), and augmenting of the cortical evoked potential.The monoamine systems in the rodent brain are involved in general activity, exploratory behavior, emotionality, socialization, dominance, sexual and consummately behaviors, and intracranial self-stimulation. Preliminary studies have related norepinephrine and enzymes involved in its production and degradation to human sensation seeking. A model is suggested that relates mood, behavioral activity, sociability, and clinical states to activity of the central catecholamine neurotransmitters and to neuroregulators and other transmitters that act in opposite ways on behavior or stabilize activity in the arousal systems. Stimulation and behavioral activity act on the catecholamine systems in a brain–behavior feedback loop. At optimal levels of catecholamine systems activity (CSA) mood is positive and activity and sociability are adaptive. At very low or very high levels of CSA mood is dysphoric, activity is restricted or stereotyped, and the organism is unsocial or aggressively antisocial. Novelty, in the absence of threat, may be rewarding through activation of noradrenergic neurons.

Relational Psychotherapy Mothers' Group: A randomized clinical trial for substance abusing mothers

“…Sensation seeking-The Sensation Seeking Scale, Form V (SSS-V; Zuckerman, 1984) is a 40-item questionnaire that was used to measure maternal levels of stimulation and arousal. The SSS-V consists of four subscales: thrill and adventure seeking (desire to partake in activities involving physical danger), experience seeking (desire to seek new experiences through mind and senses), disinhibition (need to disinhibit behavior in the social sphere), and boredom susceptibility (aversion to repetitive experience of any kind).…”

Reckless behavior in adolescence: A developmental perspective

“…The biological basis of sensation seeking, which has received considerable research attention (see Zuckerman, 1984), provides further insight into the prevalence of reckless behavior during adolescence. Table 1 summarizes the evidence connecting biological factors to sensation seeking and reckless behavior.…”

“…Scores on the SSS have been found to be related to Average Evoked Potential (AEP) augmenting-reducing, which is a measure of the brain's tendency to respond to a strong visual or auditory stimulus by augmenting the stimulus (increasing its intensity) or reducing it (responding less to a highly intense stimulus than to a slightly less intense stimulus). Augmenting is considered to indicate a "strong" nervous system, while reducing represents a "weak" one (Zuckerman, 1984). A number of studies (Buchsbaum, 1971;Coursey, Buchsbaum, & Frankel, 1975;Lukas & Siegel, 1981) have shown SSS scores to be positively related to augmenting, especially the Disinhibition subscale, and it has also been shown that younger subjects tend to be augmenters, while older subjects tend to be reducers (Buchsbaum, 1974).…”

“…Also, augmenting has been found to be related to delinquency (Silverman, Buchsbaum, & Stierlin, 1973) and criminality (Blackburn, 1978;Emmons & Webb, 1974), which indicates a common biological basis for sensation seeking and these manifestations of reckless behavior. More directly, both augmenting and high scores on the Disinhibition subscale have been found in sociopaths, delinquents, and drug users (Zuckerman, 1984). Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is an enzyme that is related to the synaptic sensitivity of neurons; the higher the MAO level, the less sensitive the neurons.…”

Temperament traits and preferences of music works with specific musical elements

“…In several of the concepts of temperament (see Strelau, 2001;Strelau & Angleitner, 1991, 1994Zuckerman, 1979Zuckerman, , 1984Zuckerman, , 1994, it is emphasized that temperament traits determine an individual's need for stimulation and are responsible for regulating stimulation. Studies have shown that individuals who have a high need for stimulation prefer highly stimulative actions and situations, while those with a low need for stimulation prefer actions and situations of low stimulative value (Strelau, 2001;Strelau & Zawadzki, 1998;Zuckerman, 1979Zuckerman, , 1984Zuckerman, , 1994. Studies on the relationship of temperament traits (linked with the need for stimulation) and musical preferences show similar relationships.…”