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Updated: Jun 7, 2026
08:39
Operant Sensation Seeking in the Mouse
Published on: November 10, 2010
The link between sensation seeking and aggression: a meta-analytic review
Laura C Wilson1, Angela Scarpa
1Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA. lawilso3@vt.edu
Aggressive Behavior
|October 26, 2010
Summary
High sensation seekers tend to exhibit more aggression. This meta-analysis confirms a positive link between sensation seeking and aggressive behaviors, supporting arousal theory and informing potential interventions.
Area of Science:
- Psychophysiology
- Behavioral Science
- Forensic Psychology
Background:
- Low resting heart rate (HR) is a well-established correlate of aggression.
- The precise mechanisms linking low HR to aggression, such as sensation seeking, remain debated.
- Previous research on sensation seeking and aggression has yielded inconsistent findings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that sensation seeking is positively related to aggression.
- To synthesize existing research through meta-analysis.
- To explore potential moderating factors in the sensation seeking-aggression relationship.
Main Methods:
- A meta-analysis was performed on 43 independent effect sizes.
- Data from 32,217 participants were included.
- Moderator analyses examined participant and methodological variables.
Main Results:
- A significant positive overall effect size (d = .1935, P<.001) supported the hypothesis.
- The relationship between sensation seeking and aggression varied based on factors like participant age and aggression measurement.
- Limitations include uneven study distribution across moderator categories.
Conclusions:
- Findings support higher aggression levels in high sensation seekers.
- Results have implications for arousal theory.
- Further research can guide clinical interventions for aggression.
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