Sensation Seeking Scale

Sensation Seeking Scale

Technical Manual

Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Created: January 15, 2013

Last Modified: January 11, 2025 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC

Background

This script implements a computerized version of the Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS) by Zuckerman et al (1964). The Sensation Seeking Scale provides an explicit measure of the personality trait 'sensation seeking' which is defined by a person's craving of often novel and intense experiences that often involve physical and/or social risks.

References

Zuckerman, Marvin, Kolin, Elizabeth A., Price, Leah, & Zoob, Ina. (1964). Development of a sensation-seeking scale. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 28(6), 477-482.

Duration

5 minutes

Description

40 yes-no questions, self-report.

The SSS yields 4 primary scales and one total score.

Disinhibition (Sss_Dis): This Scale Represents The Desire For Social And Sexual Disinhibition
as expressed in social drinking, partying, and variety in sexual partners 1R, 12, 13, 25, 29R, 30, 32R, 33, 35, 36R

Boredom Susceptibility (Sss_Bor): This Scale Represents An Aversion To Repetition, Routine, And Dull
people, and restlessness when things are unchanging. 2, 5R, 7, 8R, 15, 24R, 27, 31, 34R, 39R

Thrill And Adventure Seeking (Sss_Thr): This Scale Contains Items Expressing A Desire To Engage In Sports
or other activities involving speed or danger. 3R, 11, 16R, 17R, 20, 21, 23R, 28R, 38, 40

Experience Seeking (Sss_Exp): This Scale Represents The Seeking Of Experiences Through The Mind
and senses, travel, and a nonconforming life-style. 4, 6R, 9R, 10, 14R, 18R, 19, 22R, 26, 37

Summary Data

File Name: sensationseekingscale_summary*.iqdat

Data Fields

NameDescription
inquisit.version Inquisit version number
computer.platform Device platform: win | mac |ios | android
computer.touch 0 = device has no touchscreen capabilities; 1 = device has touchscreen capabilities
computer.hasKeyboard 0 = no external keyboard detected; 1 = external keyboard detected
startDate Date the session was run
startTime Time the session was run
subjectId Participant ID
groupId Group number
sessionId Session number
elapsedTime Session duration in ms
completed 0 = Test was not completed
1 = Test was completed
Total Score
totalScore Calculates the total SSS score (range: 0-40)
Subscale Scores
sssBor Boredom Susceptibility (range: 0-10)
sssDis Disinhibition (range: 0-10)
sssExp Experience Seeking (range: 0-10)
sssThr Thrill and Adventure Seeking (range: 0-10)

Raw Data

File Name: sss.iqdat

Data Fields

NameDescription
date Date the session was run
time Time the session was run
subject Participant ID
group Group number
session Session number
build Inquisit version number
q*_response Response given (in assigned values)
0 = no
1 = yes (sensation seeking confirmatory response)
Reversed coding applied where appropriate
q*_latency How much time (in ms) the participant spent on the surveyPage with this particular
question (the last time this particular surveyPage was visited)
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