Abstract:

In his book “Thrills and Regressions”, Micheal Balint (1959) previously mentioned that people react in two different ways toward “thrills”. He named those who shy away from the thrill “ocnophil” and those who are excited by it “philobatic”. The author also pointed out that those who are attracted and excited by thrills are more likely to develop more advantageous coping strategies, thanks to their attitude in exposing to difficult and dangerous situations and developing further strategies to deal with them. Although those who are afraid of difficult and dangerous situations tend to avoid them and develop fewer strategies, consequently not enlarging their pool of coping resources, which is useful to afford new situations. How people deal with thrills, novel and intensive stimuli and situations can be operationalized with the Sensation Seeking concept by Zuckerman (2007), which described it as a trait defined by the seeking of varied, novel, complex, and intensive sensations and experiences and the willingness to take corresponding risks. Furthermore, there are relationships between Sensation Seeking, coping strategies and trauma that were already demonstrated in specific samples, i.e., in rescue forces (Tschiesner, 2012). However, it is not clear which is the role of sensation seeking in the habitual use of coping strategies in early adulthood.

In this investigation the sample was based on 88 young adults (aged 23,01y). In order to assess Sensation Seeking we used the Arnett-Inventory of Sensation Seeking Scale (AISS-D), along with the coping strategy questionnaire published by Janke and Erdmann (Stressverarbeitungsfragebogen 78, SVF-78) to detect coping strategies.

Data indicates that Sensation Seeking and Coping strategies are only partially related. However, there could be found evidence that there are significant negative correlations between Sensation Seeking and resignation coping strategy and moreover a slight or positive tendency to a significant correlation between Sensation Seeking and the situation control coping strategy.

Keywords:

Sensation Seeking, Students, Coping.