Nonsexual Experience Seeking Scale (NESS)
11-item measure of your appetite for novelty, thrill, and risk in everyday life
Some people need novelty to feel alive. Others are happy with a predictable routine. The Nonsexual Experience Seeking Scale (NESS, 11 items) measures your tendency to seek novel, intense, and risky experiences in everyday life, adapted from Zuckerman's sensation-seeking theory. About 3 minutes.
How much do you chase stimulation?
Some people need novelty to feel alive. Others are perfectly happy with a predictable routine. The Nonsexual Experience Seeking Scale (NESS) measures your tendency to seek novel, intense, and risky experiences in everyday life — and the “nonsexual” part matters, because it separates this scale from its sister measure, the Sexual Sensation Seeking Scale (SSSS).
Where it comes from
NESS comes from the same 1995 paper as the SSSS and the Sexual Compulsivity Scale (SCS), by Kalichman and Rompa. It builds on Zuckerman's sensation-seeking theory, extending the measurement beyond sexual behavior to everyday activities: fast driving, parachute jumping, running yellow lights, and hanging out with friends who are known risk takers.
Scale structure
- 11 items, single-factor structure
- Scoring: 4-point Likert (1=Not at all like me → 4=Very much like me), total 11-44, no reverse-scored items
- Time: About 3 minutes
Psychometrics
In the original study (Kalichman & Rompa, 1995), NESS internal consistency was α = .81 (gay men, N=296) and α = .79 (inner-city men and women, N=158); 3-month test-retest reliability was r = .80 and r = .86.
Important note
NESS is a research instrument with no clinical cutoff. It is not a diagnostic tool. A high or low score just says where you sit on the novelty-seeking spectrum — it doesn't mean something is wrong.
Result Interpretation
After completing the 11 questions, you'll receive an immediate, detailed report with:
- Your score — calculated automatically based on your responses
- Score interpretation — what your score means in practical terms
- Context — how your results compare to general population norms where available
All results are displayed on screen. No account or login needed.