Effects of sensation seeking on habituation to novelty: An EEG study

Xintong Jiang; Shuting Mei; Wei Yi; Ya Zheng

doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.03.011

Effects of sensation seeking on habituation to novelty: An EEG study

Neuropsychologia. 2019 Jun:129:133-140. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.03.011. Epub 2019 Mar 25.

Authors

Xintong Jiang¹, Shuting Mei¹, Wei Yi¹, Ya Zheng²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
² Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China. Electronic address: zhengya@dmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 30922831
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.03.011

Abstract

Sensation seeking is characterized by a strong need for novelty and has been associated with various risk-taking behaviors. Using the extreme between-group design, the current study investigated the electrophysiological mechanisms underlying habituation to novelty processing in sensation seeking. Twenty high sensation seekers (HSS) and 20 low sensation seekers (LSS) performed an auditory oddball task while their EEG was recorded. The results revealed that both the novelty P3 and midfrontal theta power decreased from the first to the second half for LSS but not for HSS. Additionally, this reduced vigilance was predicted by the experience-seeking subcomponent of sensation seeking. Together, our findings are supportive of an abnormal habituation to novel events in the sensation-seeking trait.

Keywords: Habituation; Midfrontal theta; Novelty P3; Orienting response; Sensation seeking.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Attention / physiology*
Auditory Perception / physiology*
Cerebral Cortex / physiology*
Event-Related Potentials, P300 / physiology*
Evoked Potentials, Auditory / physiology*
Exploratory Behavior / physiology*
Female
Habituation, Psychophysiologic / physiology*
Humans
Male
Personality / physiology*
Theta Rhythm / physiology*
Time Factors
Young Adult