NCJ Number
48596
Date Published
1975
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SENSATION-SEEKING BEHAVIOR AND USE OF DRUGS AND/OR ALCOHOL IS EXAMINED IN A SURVEY OF 586 COLLEGE STUDENTS.
Abstract
THE SUBJECTS COMPLETED A BATTERY OF PERSONALITY SCALES AND A DRUG/ALCOHOL USE QUESTIONNAIRE IN THE FALL OF 1973. ONE OF THE SCALES MEASURED THE FOLLOWING DIMENSIONS OF SENSATION SEEKING: GENERAL SENSATION SEEKING (PREFERENCE FOR IMPULSIVE, STIMULATING, EXCITING SITUATIONS); THRILL AND ADVENTURE SEEKING (PREFERENCE FOR ACTIVITIES AND/OR SPORTS INVOLVING SPEED, MODERATE DANGER, OR ADVENTURE; EXPERIENCE SEEKING ( INTEREST IN NEW EXPERIENCES THROUGH MUSIC, ART, DRUGS, AND UNCONVENTIONAL ATTITUDES OR BEHAVIOR); DISINHIBITION (INTEREST IN SEEKING SENSATION BY CASTING OFF INHIBITIONS AND ASSUMING A HEDONISTIC, EXTROVERTED ORIENTATION INVOLVING DRINKING AND A NEED FOR SOCIAL CONTACT; AND BOREDOM SUSCEPTIBILITY (A SCALE MEASURING MALE SUBJECTS' DISLIKE FOR REPETITIOUS EXPERIENCES). SENSATION-SEEKING BEHAVIOR WAS FOUND LEAST OFTEN AMONG STUDENTS WHO USED NEITHER ALCOHOL NOR DRUGS, MORE OFTEN AMONG STUDENTS WHO USED ONLY ALCOHOL, AND MOST OFTEN AMONG STUDENTS WHO USED DRUGS. THE FINDINGS INDICATE THAT STUDENTS WHO USE DRUGS, AND TO A LESSER EXTENT THOSE WHO USE ALCOHOL ONLY, TEND TO BE EXTROVERTED, SOMEWHAT NONCONFORMING, IMPULSIVE, HEDONISTIC, AND ATTRACTED TO EXCITEMENT. THE RESULTS, TOGETHER WITH CROSS-VALIDATION FINDINGS, INDICATE THAT SENSATION-SEEKING BEHAVIOR CAN BE USED TO PREDICT THE USE OR NONUSE OF DRUGS. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)