Seeking Pleasure, Finding Trouble: Functions and Dysfunctions of Trait Sensation Seeking

Purposeof Review Sensation seeking, a trait-like preference for intense experiences with a disregard for their potentially aversive consequences, is a risk factor for the development of substance use disorders and other hazardous activities. However, there remain several open questions regarding its neurophysiological characteristics, its precise effect on decision-making, and the clinical management of high sensation-seeking individuals. Recent Findings We review evidence, including recent neuropharmacological and neuroimaging work, which demonstrates a neurophysiological basis for the construct, particularly regarding reward-related and punishment-related processes. We then evaluate evidence for a relationship between sensation seeking and behavioral measures of risk taking, which supports a consistently modest increase in risk preference with higher trait sensation seeking. These small effect sizes imply the need both for more sensitive behavioral measures, as well as novel theoretical insights into when and why high sensation-seeking individuals might show a preference for risky options. Predictions derived from different theoretical approaches, including subjective utility, reinforcement learning, active inference, and contextually dependent risk taking, are outlined. Summary Novel theoretical approaches might help to derive more specific measures of sensation seeking via the generation of new paradigms. They might also clarify adaptive and harmful aspects of the decision-making style of high sensation seekers, which might help to develop and refine new clinical interventions.