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The Role of Sensation & Perception in the Sensation-Seeking Behavior of International

Travelers

Corrinne Snyder

Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Drexel University

PSY 213: Sensation & Perception

Dr. Dorothy Charbonnier

December 13, 2023

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The Role of Sensation & Perception in the Sensation-Seeking Behavior of International

Travelers

Within the complex mosaic that is the human experience, the areas of sensation and

perception serve as the intricate threads weaving the fabric of our understanding of the world. In

doing one of the most simple yet profound activities we can do as humans, exploring the globe,

personality traits such as sensation-seeking and risk-taking are revealed. Understanding how

sensation and perception contribute to these behaviors can help us understand personality

psychology and cognitive functioning with more clarity. People who do travel, especially

internationally, and seek out exciting new experiences are shown to have high levels of

sensation-seeking and better tolerate the perception of potential risks than those who do not have

international travel experience.

Understanding how sensation and perception occur in the brain involves delving into the

functions of human cognition. At its core, the distinction between sensation and perception lies

in their mechanisms: sensation refers to the raw input of sensory information, while perception

involves the interpretation and organization of these sensations into meaningful experiences. The

two are overlapping processes that do not normally occur on their own in a meaningful way. In

order for perception to occur, we need sensory input, but sensory input alone is not valuable if

we do not have the capacity to interpret it. In fact, “if a stimulus does not change, our receptors

quit responding to it,” resulting in a state of sensory adaptation (Privitera, 2023). This means that

stimuli is not consciously registered by the brain if it is not perceived. Therefore, the two

processes occur somewhat constantly and simultaneously in order for us to function and also

remain safe and aware of our environment.

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Our senses act as gateways, filtering an immense amount of various stimuli, and

influencing our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. While it’s true that the senses are the

foundation for all humans to understand reality, some people crave new sensations more than

others, especially those who tend to travel and explore more. Fuchs defines sensation-seeking as

the following: “sensation-seeking refers to a personality trait describing one's need for varied,

novel and complex sensations and experiences as well as the level of willingness to take risks of

all types for the sake of such experiences” (2013). Those who display high levels of extraversion

are especially likely to also demonstrate sensation-seeking behaviors such as taking exciting

trips. In a study of Taiwanese nationals residing in Taiwan by Li and Tsai, in which they

measured extraversion, sensation-seeking, and international travel experience, “the results

confirmed that extraversion and sensation-seeking personality traits significantly influence the

choice of international travel, thus contributing to the classic discussion about ‘why people go on

vacations’” (2013). The study shows that people with low levels of sensation-seeking, perhaps

those who are more introverted, are less likely to travel internationally, as they prefer familiar

surroundings. However, this still does not explain why exactly some people prefer to seek out

novel experiences and enjoy taking risks while others do not.

The implications of sensation-seeking as a personality trait may have to do with the

arousal theory of motivation, which proposes that people have varying levels of optimal arousal

and are therefore motivated to take actions that help them achieve that level. People who are

more extraverted “have higher levels of personality traits such as assertiveness, gregariousness,

excitement seeking, and positive emotionality, they seek novelty and are more willing to

undertake international travel…similarly, as sensation-seekers enjoy seeking excitement, novelty,

and adventure, they are more willing to travel to exotic international destinations and experience
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foreign cultures” (Li & Tsai, 2013). In a review of the literature in this area, the authors discuss

that sensation-seeking traits are “housed” in the extraversion domain, and that sensation-seeking

is moderately heritable (Maples-Keller et al., 2016). Therefore, it is not unlikely that people may

be predisposed genetically to be extraverted and sensation-seeking, leading them to want to

travel internationally more often. The arousal theory of motivation also supports this idea, saying

that some people are chronically under-aroused, and therefore seek out stimulating experiences

to reach an optimal level of arousal. This seeking behavior often manifests in a preference for

adventurous activities, exploration of unfamiliar territories, and a craving for novel sensations.

Consequently, individuals with higher sensation-seeking tendencies might actively pursue

international travel as a means to satisfy their inherent need for excitement and variety.

Therefore, for those inclined towards sensation-seeking, the allure of international travel lies in

its potential to provide the thrill and novelty they seek, fulfilling their inherent drive for arousal

and excitement.

In deciphering the relationship between sensation, perception, and the innate desire for

novel experiences achieved by international travel, it becomes evident that our sensory

experiences lay the groundwork for our cognitive processes and behavioral inclinations. Through

the lens of personality psychology, the desire many people have for international travel reveals

an inherent drive for arousal and novelty. The interplay between sensation-seeking traits and

extraversion, influenced by both genetic predispositions and the arousal theory of motivation,

explains why some individuals gravitate towards adventure and embrace the risks inherent in

exploring unknown landscapes and cultures. Studying the relationship between sensation,

perception, and sensation-seeking behaviors contributes profoundly to our understanding of the

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dynamics that motivate individuals towards seeking novel and exhilarating experiences through

international travel.
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References

Fuchs, G. (2013). Low Versus High Sensation-seeking Tourists: a Study of Backpackers’

Experience Risk Perception. The International Journal of Tourism Research, 15(1),

81–92. https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.878

Li, C.-Y., & Tsai, B.-K. (2013). Impact of Extraversion and Sensation Seeking on International

Tourism Choices. Social Behavior and Personality, 41(2), 327–333.

https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2013.41.2.327

Maples-Keller, J. L., Berke, D. S., Few, L. R., & Miller, J. D. (2016). A review of sensation

seeking and its empirical correlates: Dark, bright, and neutral hues. In V. Zeigler-Hill &

D. K. Marcus (Eds.), The dark side of personality: Science and practice in social,

personality, and clinical psychology (pp. 137–156). American Psychological Association.

https://doi.org/10.1037/14854-008

Privitera, A. J. (2023). Sensation and perception. In R. Biswas-Diener & E. Diener (Eds), Noba

textbook series: Psychology. Champaign, IL: DEF publishers. http://noba.to/xgk3ajhy