Sensation seeking and risk-taking in the Norwegian population

The article is based on a comprehensive study of the relation between sensation seeking and various forms of risk-taking in a representative sample of the adult Norwegian population, aged 15years and above (N=1000). The study included social, intellectual, financial, achievement-related, political, physical, ethical and existential risktaking dimensions. There was an expected main effect for age as well as gender on total sensation seeking, but no main effect for social class. All sensation seeking scales correlated positively with all the risk dimensions, although moderately for most scales. Physical risk had the highest correlation scores. The study found that altogether 21, 2% of the general population had been involved in risky activities during their life and had elevated scores on sensation seeking. A relatively high percentage of the population would be willing to be involved in risky sports (35,7%), risky jobs (54,8%) or risky military operations (25,9%), provided they were in good shape and of the right age. Those who were willing had higher sensation seeking scores. Only 16,9% of the population thought basejumping or other risk sports should be prohibited. The prohibitionists had lower sensation seeking scores than the non-prohibitionists. •The relation between sensation seeking and risk-taking was examined in a representative sample of the Norwegian population.•Sensation seeking correlated positively with all eight dimensions of a new risk-taking scale.•A total of 21, 2% of the general population had been involved in risky activities during their life.•High sensation seekers were more willing than others to become involved in risky jobs, military missions and risk sports.•Only 16,9% of the population thought basejumping or other risk sports should be prohibited.