Sensational Offending: An Application of Sensation Seeking to White-Collar and Conventional Crimes

Abstract

A recent trend in the study of crime is to investigate the role of individual differences in predicting offending, particularly in studying the differences between white-collar and conventional offenders. To further this line of inquiry, the current study assessed the role of the psychological trait of sensation seeking on individualistic white-collar crime and conventional crime, and also whether this relationship varied based upon the individual’s level of self-control. Results from a sample of undergraduate students revealed that there are more similarities than differences between these two offense types. Specifically, those with higher degrees of the unsocialized aspect of sensation seeking were more likely to report intentions to engage in both offense forms. Study implications and limitations are presented.