- LSF ID
- 52324
- ORCID
- 0000-0002-5676-8137
- Other
- connected with university
Abstract:
Studied age- and sex-related differences, and sociodemographic determinants of sensation seeking amongst Germans. Relevant data were collected per telephone interviews for 1,049 randomly selected German citizens (aged 16-79 years). Sensation seeking was assessed using the Arnett Inventory of Sensation Seeking (AISS), which is comprised of 2 subscales: Novelty and Intensity. Demographic characteristics included partnership and marital status, educational level, occupational status, and monthly income. Data analyses revealed an overall decline in sensation seeking scores with increasing age. Male respondents obtained higher sensation seeking scores across all age groups. The observed age- and sex-related variance in sensation seeking could not be substantially explained by the measured sociodemographic factors. The findings corroborate and extend previous findings, by pointing out the continued decline in sensation seeking beyond age 60 years. Future longitudinal studies will focus on the relative effects of socialization versus developmental processes on age-related differences in sensation seeking