Sensation seeking

The drugs are a strategic and multifaceted threat from a pathological point of view, that one of its aspects may become more prominent than the other aspects over time. This threat endangers not only individual security but also national security and the ontological or existential security of a society. This study aimed to investigate the predictive psychological factors of drug dealings. This is a descriptive correlational study. The statistical population of the present study included all the people of Lordegan in 2019. The target group was 50 drug dealers that were selected by chain sampling (snowball), and another group was 50 ordinary people in the community who were not addicted and had no role in drug dealing by available sampling. Zuckerman Excitement Questionnaire (1978) and Johnson & Wister's (2010) dark personality questionnaire were used to gathering information, and the data were analyzed using SPSS-24 software. The findings showed that the variables of age and marital status (single and divorced) and all subscales of these two components except narcissism, were strong predictors of drug dealings. Also, the comparison of drug dealers and control group showed that the amount of dark personality traits and excitement are significantly different in the two groups. The motivation of the drug trade is based on a combination of psychological, emotional, and social factors, and People's emotions are used as psychological mechanisms to moderate the incompatible and dark traits of individuals' personalities.

Background : Digit ratio (2D:4D) is a marker of prenatal androgen exposure that has been associated with behavioral parameters. Individuals with low 2D:4D are more aggressive and tend to engage in more physical activity. Aim: We examined the relationship between 2D:4D and physical activity, sensation seeking and aggression in mature and immature boys. Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of Mazandaran male students aged 9 to 17 years in 2019-2020. The sample was 218 healthy, cluster randomly selected boys (13.77±2.4 y/o) from three schools with no health issues. 2D:4D digit ratio, physical activity, aggression, sensation seeking were measured. Pearson correlation analyzed variable associations. Significance was considered at P ≤0.05. Results : Low 2D:4D ratio was associated with higher physical activity (r≈-0.27), sensation seeking (r≈-0.3), and aggression (r≈-0.21), during childhood and adolescence ( P <0.05). These relationships among right and left hand 2D:4D ratios with physical activity and sensation seeking remained consistent across maturity levels ( P <0.05). Only immature boys had a significant association between 2D:4D ratios and aggression (r≈-0.29, P <0.05). Physical activity was positively associated with sensation seeking (r≈0.25, P <0.05), but not aggression in mature and immature boys. Conclusion : Prenatal testosterone organizes boys' physical activity and behavioral parameters, influencing the later development of sensation-seeking and aggression and greater participation in physical activity. The study has limitations such as a small sample size and a self-report method for assessing aggression. Future research should focus on behavioral observation methods with larger sample sizes.