Sensation Seeking Scale Form V Revised (SSSV)

Abstract

The Sensation Seeking Scale Form V revised (SSSV) is a widely utilized psychology instrument designed to measure the personality trait of sensation seeking. Developed by Marvin Zuckerman, this scale assesses the general drive for novel, varied, and intense experiences, and the willingness to take risks (physical, social, legal, and financial) to attain them. The SSSV is composed of 40 forced-choice items that load onto four distinct subscales, providing a detailed profile of an individual’s propensity for exploratory and risk-taking behaviors. This entry also references a specific Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) study evaluating the psychometric properties and structural integrity of the SSSV.

Keywords

Sensation Seeking, Zuckerman, Personality, Psychometric properties, Risk-taking, Disinhibition, Thrill and Adventure Seeking, Boredom Susceptibility, Form V, CFA

Authors

Marvin Zuckerman (Scale Originator)

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Sensation Seeking Scale Form V revised (SSSV) is to quantify individual differences in the need for stimulation and novelty. It serves as a crucial tool in research across clinical, social, and physiological psychology, particularly in studies concerning addiction, risk behaviors, creativity, and psychopathology. The scale helps researchers understand the underlying motivational factors that drive individuals toward or away from high-arousal situations.

By using a forced-choice format, the SSSV minimizes social desirability bias, compelling respondents to choose between a sensation-seeking option and a non-sensation-seeking option. This methodology facilitates a clearer assessment of the respondent’s inherent preference for stimulation, which is a stable and measurable personality trait.

Construct

The SSSV measures the overarching construct of Sensation Seeking, which is further delineated into four distinct, yet correlated, subscales. These dimensions capture different facets of experience and risk preference:

• Thrill and Adventure Seeking (TAS): Measures the desire to engage in physically risky activities that provide unusual sensations, such as mountain climbing, fast driving, or parachute jumping.
• Experience Seeking (ES): Reflects the seeking of novel sensations through internal experiences, such as non-conforming lifestyles, travel, art, music, and mind-altering drugs.
• Disinhibition (D): Measures the tendency to seek sensation through social activities, such as wild parties, heavy drinking, and varied sexual experiences.
• Boredom Susceptibility (BS): Reflects an aversion to repetition, routine, and dull people, coupled with a restlessness when lacking external stimulation.

Validity

The SSSV exhibits strong psychometric properties, supported by decades of research. Its validity is demonstrated through consistent correlations with various behavioral outcomes. High scores on the SSSV, particularly the Disinhibition and Experience Seeking subscales, have been reliably associated with increased engagement in risky behaviors, including substance use, reckless driving, gambling, and promiscuous behavior. Furthermore, the scale demonstrates convergent validity with other measures of impulsivity and novelty seeking, and discriminant validity against scales measuring anxiety or conscientiousness.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the SSSV is generally high, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the total scale often ranging from .80 to .85 across diverse populations. Reliability for the four subscales, while lower due to fewer items per factor, is typically acceptable for research purposes. Test-retest reliability studies have confirmed the stability of the sensation-seeking trait over periods ranging from weeks to several years, underscoring its nature as a stable personality trait.

Factor Analysis

The original conceptualization of the SSSV posited a clear four-factor structure corresponding to the TAS, ES, D, and BS subscales. The source content references a specific study titled “A confirmatory factor analysis of two models of sensation seeking” by Haynes, Miles, and Clements. This research aimed to rigorously test the fit of the hypothesized factor structure (Zuckerman’s model) against alternative models using advanced statistical techniques. The findings of such studies are crucial for confirming the structural validity of the SSSV and ensuring that the four subscales are indeed measuring distinct dimensions of the Sensation Seeking construct.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report personality trait inventory

Format: 40 forced-choice items (A or B statements)

Language Available: English (Original), widely translated into numerous languages including Spanish, German, French, and Japanese.

Population Group: General population, clinical, and forensic samples

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (typically 16+)

Population Details: Used extensively across various demographic groups in behavioral and clinical psychology research.

Test Methodology: Respondents choose the statement (A or B) that best describes their preference or feeling. Scoring is based on the number of sensation-seeking choices endorsed, yielding a total score and four subscale scores.

Keywords

Psychometrics, Total SSSV Score, Subscale, Behavioral assessment, Risk perception, Novelty seeking, Confirmatory factor analysis, Impulsivity

Authors (CFA Study)

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Not provided in source)

Affiliation Email addresses: * Corresponding author: Caroline A. Haynes (email not provided)

Correspondence Address: Institute of Behavioural Sciences‚ University of Derby‚ Chevin Avenue‚ Mickleover‚ Derby DE3 5GX‚ UK

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Sensation Seeking Scale Form V (SSSV) was finalized and published around 1979-1980. Usage permissions for the scale are typically required from the original author, Marvin Zuckerman, or the relevant publishing entity that holds the copyright. Fees may apply depending on the nature (academic vs. commercial) and scope of the research project.

Reference’s

• Zuckerman, M. (1979). Sensation Seeking: Beyond the Optimal Level of Arousal. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. (Primary reference for SSSV development).
• Haynes, C. A.‚ Miles, J. N. V.‚ & Clements, K. (Year not specified in source). A confirmatory factor analysis of two models of sensation seeking. Institute of Behavioural Sciences‚ University of Derby. The original PDF can be downloaded here: http://www.jeremymiles.co.uk/mestuff/publications/p8.pdf

Items of the Sensation Seeking Scale Form V revised (SSSV)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. I like `wild’ uninhibited parties.

I prefer quiet parties with good conversation.

2. There are some movies I enjoy seeing a second or even third time.

I can’t stand watching a movie that I’ve seen before.

3. I often wish I could be a mountain climber.

I can’t understand people who risk their necks climbing mountains.

4. I dislike all body odours.

I like some of the earthy body smells.

5. I get bored seeing the same old faces.

I like the comfortable familiarity of everyday friends.

6. I like to explore a strange city or section of town by myself‚ even if it means getting lost.

I prefer a guide when I am in a place I don’t know well.

7. I dislike people who do or say things just to shock or upset others.

When you can predict almost everything a person will do or say he or she must be a bore.

8. I usually don’t enjoy a movie or play where I can predict what will happen in advance.

I don’t mind watching a movie or play where I can predict what will happen in advance.

9. I have tried marijuana or would like to.

I would never smoke marijuana.

10. I would not like to try any drug which might produce strange and dangerous e€ects on me.

I would like to try some of the new drugs that produce hallucinations.

11. A sensible person avoids activities that are dangerous.

I sometimes like to do things that are a little frightening.

12. I dislike `swingers’ (people who are uninhibited and free about sex).

I enjoy the company of real `swingers’.

13. I find that stimulants make me uncomfortable.

I often like to get high (drinking liquor or smoking marijuana).

14. I like to try new foods that I have never tasted before.

I order the dishes with which I am familiar‚ so as to avoid disappointment and unpleasantness.

15. I enjoy looking at home movies or travel slides.

Looking at someone’s home movies or travel slides bores me tremendously.

16. I would like to take up the sport of water skiing.

I would not like to take up the sport of water skiing.

17. I would like to try surf board riding.

I would not like to try surf board riding.

18. I would like to take o€ on a trip with no preplanned or definite routes‚ or timetable.

When I go on a trip I like to plan my route and timetable fairly carefully.

19. I prefer the `down to earth’ kinds of people as friends.

I would like to make friends in some of the `far out’ groups like artists or `punks’.

20. I would not like to learn to fly an aeroplane.

I would like to learn to fly an aeroplane.

21. I prefer the surface of the water to the depths.

I would like to go scuba diving.

22. I would like to meet some persons who are homosexual (men or women).

I stay away from anyone I suspect of being `gay or lesbian’.

23. I would like to try parachute jumping.

I would never want to try jumping out of a plane with or without a parachute.

24. I prefer friends who are excitingly unpredictable.

I prefer friends who are reliable and predictable.

25. I am not interested in experience for its own sake.

I like to have new and exciting experiences and sensations even if they are a little frightening‚ unconventional or illegal.

26. The essence of good art is in its clarity‚ symmetry of form and harmony of colours.

I often find beauty in the `clashing’ of colours and irregular forms of modern paintings.

27. I enjoy spending time in the familiar surroundings of home.

I get restless if I have to stay around home for any length of time.

28. I like to dive off the high board.

I don’t like the feeling I get standing on the high board (or I don’t go near it at all).

29. I like to date members of the opposite sex who are physically exciting.

I like to date members of the opposite sex who share my values.

30. Heavy drinking usually ruins a party because some people get loud and boisterous.

Keeping the drinks full is the key to a good party.

31. The worst social sin is to be rude.

The worst social sin is to be a bore.

32. A person should have considerable sexual experience before marriage.

It’s better if two married persons begin their sexual experience with each other.

33. Even if I had the money I would not care to associate with flighty rich persons like those in the `jet set’.

I could conceive of myself seeking pleasures around the world with the `jet set’.

34. I like people who are sharp and witty even if they do sometimes insult others.

I dislike people who have their fun at the expense of hurting the feelings of others.

35. There is altogether too much portrayal of sex in movies.

I enjoy watching many of the `sexy’ scenes in movies.

36. I feel best after taking a couple of drinks.

Something is wrong with people who need liquor to feel good.

37. People should dress according to some standard of taste‚ neatness and style.

People should dress in individual ways even if the effects are sometimes strange.

38. Sailing long distances in small sailing crafts is foolhardy.

I would like to sail a long distance in a small but seaworthy sailing craft.

39. I have no patience with dull or boring persons.

I find something interesting in almost every person I talk to.

40. Skiing down a high mountain slope is a good way to end up on crutches.

I think I would enjoy the sensations of skiing very fast down a high mountain slope.