First, we anticipated that sensation seeking would prospectively predict increases in the frequency of alcohol consumption over and above initial levels of alcohol consumption. The theoretical basis for this prediction has two components. Sensation seekers tend to seek out stimulation, and one form of stimulation is alcohol consumption. Because they have an ongoing need to pursue stimulation, they should tend to engage in alcohol consumption more frequently than do others. And, because sensation seekers are more likely to involve themselves in social events and parties than are others, they are more likely to be present during potentially stimulating alcohol consumption opportunities. The empirical basis for this prediction includes past evidence that sensation seeking and alcohol use are related and that, when sensation seeking is considered together with positive and negative urgency, it correlates cross-sectionally with frequency of consumption but not problem drinking [20, 21, 25, 26, 27].
