Frontal EEG asymmetry and sensation seeking in young adults

Sensation seeking has been characterized as a desire to seek novel, intense sensations, and the willingness to take risks in pursuing them. In two separate studies of young adults, we examined the relation between measures of sensation seeking and the pattern of resting frontal EEG asymmetry, thought to reflect a biological predisposition to approach new experiences. As predicted, high sensation seeking was related to a greater relative left frontal activity at rest in both studies, which may be specific to men. How greater relative left frontal cortical activity at rest is related to a tendency to engage in sensation-seeking and risky behaviors is discussed.