Abstract
Background: The work of recently deceased Marvin Zuckerman is well-known in Psychology. Zuckerman is mainly known around the world for describing the nature of the Sensation Seeking personality trait (with a strong biological basis related to physiology, endocrinology, brain biochemistry and genetics), and its practical usefulness in explaining many human behaviors, especially high-risk behaviors. Method: The article refers to biographical aspects of Zuckerman’s career, and presents and presents an outline of results produced in Spain within the Zuckerman framework. Results: We summarize studies conducted in our context with the Sensation Seeking Scale, form V (SSS-V), the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ), the new Zuckerman-Kuhlman-Aluja Personality Questionnaire (ZKA-PQ) and its short form (ZKA-PQ/SF) about psychometric and biological aspects of Zuckerman’s theory. Conclusions: Results support the good psychometric properties of the Zuckerman instruments, the transcultural viability of his personality model, and their multiple biological correlates (gonadal hormones, genetic polymorphisms, and electrophysiological variables such as the startle reflex and frontal spectroscopy [fNIR]). The whole picture demonstrates the great usefulness of Zuckerman’s theoretical framework in personality psychology research.
