Sensationssuch

Sensationssuch, commonly rendered in English as sensation seeking, is a personality trait defined as the tendency to seek varied, novel, complex, and intense experiences and sensations, and the willingness to take risks for the sake of such experiences. It is associated with seeking new stimulation and with patterns of risk-taking behavior, sometimes including substance use and extreme sports.

Origin and theory: The concept was developed by psychologist Marvin Zuckerman in the 1960s–1970s. It proposes multiple dimensions and links to arousal theory and dopaminergic reward pathways. The trait is measured with standardized questionnaires such as the Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS) and its revised forms; a common four-factor model includes Thrill and Adventure Seeking, Experience Seeking, Disinhibition, and Boredom Susceptibility.

Neurobiological and demographic correlates: Higher sensation seeking is associated with lower baseline cortical arousal and with greater responsiveness to novel stimuli; heritability estimates range around 40–60%. It tends to decrease with age; men tend to score higher on average in some studies, though findings vary by culture.

Applications and critique: In research, sensation seeking helps explain participation in extreme sports, substance use, and other risk-related behaviors; in marketing, it informs product design and media choices. Critics note reliance on self-report, potential social desirability bias, and cultural differences in the expression of the trait; cross-cultural validity and predictive power vary across domains. See also sensation seeking, risk-taking, novelty seeking.