Gregor Alfonsin C.

Pondoyo
Our link to the external reality is through the
senses – the windows to the outside world.
Through our senses or sensory organs, we
come to know our world and what we sense
often affects our behaviour – Dr. Mariano M.
Ariola, AA; AB; BSE; MA; LL.B.; Ed.D
 Sensation and/or stimulation is a need

 It is the “need for new and varied

experiences along with the acceptance of
physical and social risks to get them” ()
 It is the need to do “varied, novel,
complex sensations and experiences
and the willingness to take physical and
social risks for the sake of such
experiences” (Schultz and Shultz, 1994)
1) Thrill and adventure seeking

2) Experience seeking

3) Disinhibition

4) Boredom susceptibility
 age matters
 women scored higher on experience

seeking
 men on thrill and adventure seeking,

disinhibition, and boredom susceptibility

Same with subjects from US,

Scotland, England, Thailand, and
Japan
People who scored higher People who scored
on the SSS lower on the SSS
Egocentrically extraverted
Appears to have high degree
of autonomy
Ready to open up with
emotions, assertive, can be
hedonistic when in company
with similar friends, acts
independently from social
conventions
People who scored
higher on the SSS
Appears to be more
dissatisfied with
relationships
More drawn to paintings
with lots of tension and to
expressionism
No indication of neurotic
behaviour
People who scored
lower on the SSS
Likes pastoral landscapes
Zuckerman suggests that
neurotic behaviour such
as obsessive-compulsive
behaviours may be related
to low sensation seekers
People who scored People who scored
higher on the SSS lower on the SSS
Enjoys mountain climbing, Generally do not enjoy
parasailing, and skydiving those activities

Prefers new and varied

experiences
High tendency to use illicit
drugs, smoke cigarettes,
drink alcohol, drive fast,
have frequent sex
People who scored People who scored
higher on the SSS lower on the SSS
Faster drivers

16% in his research 7% reported to have

reported to have engaged engaged in homosexual
in homosexual activities activities

Has high tendency to

participate in gambling
People who scored People who scored
higher on the SSS lower on the SSS
Skydivers, fire fighters,
riot-control police officers,
race-car drivers scored
higher
Antisocial and Prosocial lower scores
adventurous risk takers than the antisocial and
has higher SSS scores adventurous people
Women were more Women were more
domineering domineering
People who scored higher on People who
the SSS scored lower on
the SSS
More willing to move from familiar
to new surroundings or places
even if these places may involve
actual dangers
More willing to participate in
sensory deprivation which
supports Zuckerman’s premise
that sensation seeking is not just
the finding of stimuli but the
inclination to seek novel or
unusual experiences
People who scored People who scored
higher on the SSS lower on the SSS
Liberal religious and Authoritarian; rigid
political attitudes opinions and prejudiced
attitudes
Low tolerance for
vagueness- ambiguous
ideas are seen as threats
Permissive attitudes
regarding own and peers’
sexual behaviours: sees
sex more of a sensual-
pleasurable activity
People who scored People who scored
higher on the SSS lower on the SSS

People who scored higher People who scored lower

on the SSS on the SSS

Positive correlation with Clerical interests

scientific endeavours
People who scored People who scored
higher on the SSS lower on the SSS

Men: psychologists, Men: accountant,

psychiatrist, physician, purchasing agent, banker
social worker, minister

In the army, high

sensation seekers tend to
volunteer as combat units
People who scored People who scored
higher on the SSS lower on the SSS

Women: lawyer Women: elementary

school teacher, dietician,
home economics teacher

Both sexes: crisis-

intervention work,
paramedics
People who scored People who scored
higher on the SSS lower on the SSS

Quicker in recognizing
symbols

Preferred greater Preferred stability,

complexity in visual symmetry, simplicity
stimulation
More creative and has More creative and has
greater capacity for greater capacity for
original thinking original thinking

Attracted to Attracted to
pseudoscience, pseudoscience,
speculative or bizarre speculative or bizarre
ideas ideas
Inclined to daydreaming Inclined to daydreaming
and imagery and imagery
People who scored People who scored
higher on the SSS lower on the SSS

Stronger and highly

aroused physiological
responses

Have higher tolerance

threshold for loud noise
and pain
 Changes detected in
◦ brain activity
◦ sex hormones
◦ decreased MAO (Monoamine oxidase)
levels
 ARAS or the Ascending Reticular Activating
System
neurons through nerve impulses that
primarily utilize neurotransmitters to
transmit messages (Ariola, 2009; Fauci et
al, 2009)
Neurotransmitter
Acetylcholine (cholinergic/ACH)
Dopamine (dopaminergic)
Cathecolamines (epinephrine or
adrenalin and norepinephrine )
Serotonin
Endorphins
Gaba (Gamma-aminobutyric acid)
 dopamine and norepinephrine = sensation
seeking

 “The brain sometimes converts dopamine

into norepinephrine” ().
 Monoamine oxidase (MAO)
◦ enzyme responsible for this task of
regulating/reducing dopamine levels
Before

After
 Hormones
Testosterone
Estrogen
Progesterone
 higher levels of testosterone at birth
◦ boldness among boys

 higher estradiol
◦ showed more timidity
 Inmates with high testosterone
◦ had violated more prison rules

 Ordinary men were more likely to have

◦ many sexual partners
◦ abuse alcohol
◦ AWOL

 Low socioeconomic status men

◦ higher tendencies
It is logical to state the
obvious that physiology
affects the mind
 In Eysenck’s studies emotionality has
bearing with the emotion centers of the
brain

 Introvert/Extravert and the

Emotional/Non-emotional types

 highly emotional persons are more

receptive to conditioning
Behavioural Approach System (BAS)

 the group of brain structures that tend to

prod people to do something in the light of
incentives (positive emotions)
Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS)

 the other (or second) group of structures

that are responsible in the withdrawal of
actions because of the fear or the negative
experienced emotion
Both of these systems are believed to be
mediated by neurotransmitters explicitly
speaking the Dopamine for BAS and the
Serotonin for BIS.
In Zuckerman’s studies, Impulsive
Unsocialized Sensation Seeking (IUSS) is
coined

 concerns the capacity to inhibit behaviour

in a service of social adaptation
High IUSS involves seeking positive
sensations so to speak (similar to high BAS
and low BIS).
Male and female brains are different because
of hormonal differences. Two sides of the
cortex in female brains are more
interconnected. Gay men have more similar
brain structure with females.
 Das ist alles

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