Which option best defines sensation seeking in adolescence?

• A. A tendency to avoid new experiences
• B. A tendency to reduce risk-taking
• C. A tendency to stick to routines
• D. A tendency to pursue novel and intense experiences; linked to higher risk-taking

Answer: (D)

Sensation seeking in adolescence is a tendency to pursue novel, varied, and intense experiences, often with a willingness to take risks. During adolescence, the brain’s reward system is particularly responsive to novelty, so teens are drawn to exciting experiences and adventures, even when there’s a higher chance of negative consequences. The option that describes pursuing novel and intense experiences and links it to higher risk-taking matches this pattern exactly. The other descriptions—avoiding new experiences, reducing risk-taking, or sticking to routines—describe opposite behaviors and don’t reflect the active drive for novelty and stimulation that sensation seeking involves.