OTHER SENSATION SEEKING SCALES
Novelty Seeking Scale (NSS) /C0(from TCI-R)
(Cloninger et al., 1999 ).
Variable
The NSS which measures novelty seeking tendencies, is a subscale of the Temperament and Character
Inventory Revised (TCI-R) ( Cloninger et al., 1999 ).
Description
The TCI-R developed by Cloninger et al. (1999) , is a revised version of the TCI ( Cloninger, Przybeck, Svrakic, &
Wetzel, 1994 ) used as a measure for their biosocial personality model based on four temperaments (Novelty
Seeking [NS], Harm Avoidance [HA], Reward Dependence [RD], and Persistence [PS]) and three character traits
(Self-directedness [SD], Cooperativeness [CO], and Self-transcendence [ST]). In this latter form, a 5-point Likert
response format was incorporated, and the PS short scales was converted into a dimension with an additional new
subscale for RD (RD2). Both versions had 240-items but the TCI-R preserved 189 of the original TCI items. Overall,
37-items were also eliminated, and 51-new items were incorporated, including 5 validity items. The factorial
structure of the TCI-R was robust and similar to the TCI, with acceptable facet reliability.
Cloninger, Svrakic, and Przybeck (1993) constructed a set of scales based on a biological model for personality.
One of these is called Novelty Seeking (NS). Factor analysis was not used in the development of these scales.
Four rationally derived facets describe the NS factor: The Temperament facets for Novelty Seeking (NS) are:
Exploratory excitability (NS1), Impulsiveness (NS2), Extravagance (NS3) and Disorderliness (NS4) (60 items). The
content resembles that of the ImpSS of the ZKPQ. It is therefore not surprising that NS and ImpSS correlate
highly (0.68) ( Zuckerman & Cloninger, 1996 ). Although the TCI as a whole suffers from psychometric problems
in factor validity it has been widely used in the psychiatric, genetic, and psychobiological literature. NS and
ImpSS correlate highly. NS in particular has been linked to a dopamine receptor gene ( Ebstein et al., 1996 ).
In recent years, the TCI-R has been adapted to several languages and cross-cultural contexts with clinical and
non-clinical samples.
Sample
A recent Spanish validation of the TCI-R was carried out by Aluja et al. (2010). Participants were 928 voluntary
students and friends and relatives (396 males and 532 women). The 195 students constituted 27% of the total
sample. The average age was 30.69 years ( SD511.62; range: 18 /C077 years), for males 31.28 years ( SD511.84;
range: 18 /C077 years) and for females 30.11 years (SD: 11.32; range 18 /C075 years).
Reliability
Internal Consistency
Cronbach alpha coefficients for the subscales/facets varied between 0.63 and 0.85 (Garcı ´a et al., 2012). Alpha
coefficients for the Novelty Seeking facets ranged from 0.45 to 0.67. The total NS alpha coefficient was 0.63
(Garcı ´a et al., 2012).
Test/C0Retest
Hansenne et al. (2005) assessed the test /C0retest reliabilities using the two-way random effects model intraclass
correlation coefficient (ICC). The coefficients for the dimensions were derived from all the individual items (i.e.,
all NS items and not NS1, NS2, NS3, NS4 as items). Test /C0retest reliabilities were calculated at two weeks and at
6 months. All ICCs were statistically significant. At two weeks, ICCs ranged from 0.81 to 0.89 and at 6 weeks
from 0.53 to 0.65.
Validity
Convergent/Concurrent
In the Aluja and Blanch (2011) study, positive correlations were found between TCI-R Novelty Seeking and ImpSS
(0.50), Agg-Host (0.23), Sy (0.29) of the ZKPQ-50-CC and NEO-FFI-R Extraversion (0.30), and Openness (0.20).372 13. MEASURES OF SENSATION SEEKING
III. EMOTION REGULATION