A test of the optimal level of arousal theory of sensation seeking.

The study was designed to test the theoretical predictions that high-sensation seekers feel and function better than low-sensation seekers under conditions of heightened arousal, whereas lows perform better than highs when central nervous system arousal levels are dampened. Thirty-two male medical students scoring in either the top or bottom deciles of their class on the total score of the Sensation Seeking Scale, Form V, were administered placebo, stimulant, and depressant drug treatments (each substance in a different session). Results did not support an optimal level of arousal model of sensation seeking, in that affective, cognitive, and motoric responses to drugs that increased or decreased tonic levels of arousal generally failed to differentiate high- and low-sensation seekers.