Thrill & Novelty Seeking (SSS-V)

What the SSS-V measures

Sensation seeking is rooted heavily in neurobiology, specifically baseline dopamine levels. High sensation seekers have chronically under-aroused central nervous systems. To feel "normal," they require intense external stimulation. This can manifest positively (extreme sports, entrepreneurship, emergency medicine) or negatively (drug addiction, gambling, chronic infidelity). The SSS-V breaks this macro-trait into 4 distinct behavioral expressions.

The dimensions it assesses

• Thrill and Adventure Seeking (TAS): Desire to engage in physical activities involving speed, danger, and defiance of gravity (e.g., skydiving, racing).
• Experience Seeking (ES): Desire to seek novel experiences through the mind and senses, unconventional lifestyle choices, and travel.
• Disinhibition (DIS): Seeking release through wild parties, heavy drinking/drug use, and a variety of sexual partners.
• Boredom Susceptibility (BS): Extreme intolerance for repetition, routine, and dull/predictable people.

What to do with your result

1. The "Disinhibition" Warning: If a user scores exceptionally high on the Disinhibition (DIS) subscale specifically, it serves as a clinical red flag for substance abuse and impulse control disorders.
2. Career Routing: High sensation seekers fail miserably in cubicle jobs. They do not need "better time management"; they need a job where the stakes are life-or-death, or where they can lose millions of dollars (e.g., ER Surgeon, Day Trader, Trial Lawyer, Firefighter). The stress that destroys normal people is exactly what keeps high sensation seekers engaged.
3. Relationship Clashes: A marriage between a High SS and a Low SS often ends in disaster unless consciously managed. The High SS views the Low SS as a "boring wet blanket," while the Low SS views the High SS as a "reckless maniac."

Common questions about the SSS-V

What does the SSS-V measure?

Measurement of "Sensation Seeking": a biologically driven personality trait defined by the search for complex, novel, and intense experiences, and the willingness to take risks to attain them.

Can the SSS-V diagnose me?

No. Thrill & Novelty Seeking (SSS-V) is a screening questionnaire, not a diagnostic tool. It can flag that something may need a closer look. It cannot tell you what is causing it. It describes tendencies rather than diagnosing anything, and no result here is a condition or something to fix.

Is this SSS-V test really free?

Yes. No account, no email address, no payment. Psychometrics Today is funded by donations rather than advertising, which is also what allows us to publish instruments whose authors permit free but non-commercial use.

Are my answers stored or shared?

No. Your answers are scored inside your browser and never sent to us. There is no database of responses, because we never receive any. Closing the tab erases them, which is why results cannot be recovered afterwards.

How often should I retake the SSS-V?

Traits and preferences move slowly, so retaking this every few months is more informative than retaking it often. Larger shifts usually follow a genuine change in circumstances.

How accurate is the SSS-V?

Screening questionnaires are good at flagging that something merits attention and poor at establishing what it is. This one is sensitive to how you feel on the day you take it, and many instruments were validated on narrow populations whose cut-offs may not transfer cleanly to everyone. The references at the foot of this page are the primary sources.

Why can I not take the SSS-V here?

Copyrighted; permission required. We will not reproduce a questionnaire we have no right to reproduce, so this page explains what it measures instead. The Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (Hoyle et al.) is freely available.