Development and validation of a new sensation seeking measure: Sensation seeking adjective markers

Abstract

Sensation seeking is the pursuit of varied, novel, and complex experiences and has been the subject of many studies in the last several decades. Sensation-seeking traits predict multiple types of risk-taking, such as physical, social, and financial (Zuckerman, 1994). Some of the most frequently used scales to measure sensation-seeking traits include the Sensation Seeking Scale – Form V (SSS-V; Zuckerman et al., 1978; Zuckerman, 1994) and the Arnett Inventory of Sensation Seeking (AISS; Arnett, 1994). However, these measures have multiple shortcomings, such as including items that may be biased towards those of certain ages or physical conditions, using outdated or colloquial language, and/or referring to scenarios that may not be familiar to all participants. The purpose of the present study is to create and validate a new measure of sensation seeking that avoids these problems. I ran a series of pilot studies to create the new scale, followed by an assessment of the new scale alongside established measures of sensation seeking and risk-taking propensity. Benefits of the creation of a new scale are discussed.