Arab Educational Information Network

Sensation seeking represents a heightened and exaggerated response to internal and external stimuli, causing individuals to exhibit abnormal psychological behaviors and traits, which often involve risks due to their heightened sensitivity to stimuli. Objective: To investigate the relationship between sensation seeking and risk-taking behaviors, and to determine their prevalence among university students. A mixed-method approach was adopted, combining quantitative methodology with a case study. The sample consisted of 300 participants (148 females, 152 males) from various faculties from Ouargla university in Algeria, aged between 17 and 50 years, selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Sensation Seeking Scale and the Risk-Taking Behavior Scale. Results: Sensation seeking was positively correlated with risk-taking behaviors (r = 0.164), which was statistically significant at the 0.01 level. The mean score for the Sensation Seeking Scale was 12.66, while the mean score for risk-taking behaviors was 84.36. Conclusion: The level of sensation seeking was high in 55% of the participants and was statistically correlated with risk-taking behaviors. This highlights the importance of these variables and their interaction for mental health professionals during interventions on university campuses. (Author’s abstract)