Zuckerman and colleagues began with selection of 46 scales representing traits that had been widely used in
studies of the biological basis of personality ( Zuckerman et al., 1988 ). The selection included the four sensation
seeking facets from the SSS-V and various impulsivity scales. A robust five-factor solution, emerged from the fac-
tor analyses of these scales including: Neuroticism /C0Anxiety, Aggression /C0Hostility, Sociability, Activity, and
Impulsive Sensation Seeking. The factor structure was replicated in a second sample ( Zuckerman et al., 1991 ). In
subsequent sections we will focus on the ImpSS factor and scales. Information on the other scales can be found in
Zuckerman (2002a, 2002b, 2008a, 2008b) .
Item analyses and factor analyses of items were used to develop scales for the five primary factors
(Zuckerman et al., 1993). Further factor analyses of the intercorrelations of the items within the ImpSS scale
revealed two subfactors. Eleven items reflected sensation seeking or general need for thrills and excitement and a
general need for change and novelty. Unlike the SSS, in which some of the items referred to specific activities
like sex, drugs, and drinking, the ZKPQ items are not that specific and therefore avoided the confounding factor
in some items of the SSS-V and earlier forms.
Nine items described impulsivity, as primarily due to a lack of planning and a tendency to act without think-
ing. The Imp and SS items may be scored together and/or scored for the separate Imp and SS components. The
connection between sensation seeking and impulsivity may be due to common biological correlates or a ‘ marriage
of traits made in biology ’(Zuckerman, 1993 ). The ImpSS scale is shown below; note the change in response format
from the forced choice response format in the SSS to the True /C0False format in the ZKPQ.
Sample
In two American studies, samples included 522 undergraduate students and in a second study 157 participants
(Zuckerman et al., 1993). In a Spanish study ( Aluja et al., 2004 ), the participants were 1006 volunteer psychology
undergraduates from Spanish universities (367 male and 639 female). The mean age was 22.16 years ( SD54.81)
for males, and 22.31 years ( SD55.08) for females.
Reliability
Internal Consistency
Zuckerman et al. (1993) reported Cronbach alpha coefficients obtained in two studies that ranged from 0.72 to
0.86. Participants were 1006 psychology undergraduates. The ImpSS scale exhibited alpha coefficients of 0.77 and
0.78 in the studies (males and females). In the Aluja et al. (2004) study, the alpha coefficients ranged from 0.77 to
0.85 in males and females (ImpSS: 0.83). Alpha coefficients for the ImpSS in male and female samples in eight
countries, including seven translated scales, ranged from 0.68 to 0.84 with a median of 0.80 (see Table 11.2 in
Zuckerman, 2008a, 2008b ).
Test/C0Retest
Test/C0retest reliabilities for ImpSS over a 3 /C04 week interval in an American sample was 0.80 and over six
weeks, and seven months in German samples were 0.80 and 0.78 respectively ( Schmitz, 2004 ).
Validity
Convergent/Concurrent
Convergent correlation coefficients link ImpSS with EPQ P and NEO conscientiousness, Sy with EPQ and
NEO E, N-Anx with EPQ and NEO N, and Agg-Host with NEO Agreeableness. Also, correlations of ImpSS with
observer ratings, friends and relatives ( Angleitner, Riemann, & Spinath, 2004 ) and spouses were 0.50 and 0.63
respectively.
Divergent/Discriminant
ImpSS obtained a correlation of 20.25 with NEO Agreeableness and 20.53 with Conscientiousness ( Aluja,
Garcı ´a, & Garcı ´a, 2002 ).
Construct/Factor Analytic
Zuckerman et al. (1993) performed an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with the EPQ-R (Eysenck Personality
Inventory /C0Revised), the ZKPQ (Zuckerman /C0Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire, form III /C0Revised;
Zuckerman et al., 1993), and the NEO-PI-R (NEO Personality Inventory Revised; Costa & McCrae, 1992 ). The
Neuroticism scales from the EPQ-R and the NEO-PI-R grouped together with the Neuroticism /C0Anxiety Scale of362 13. MEASURES OF SENSATION SEEKING
III. EMOTION REGULATION