Temperament, Context and Sexual Risk among College Students

Table 1

Definitions of temperament scales.

Component	Scale	𝛼	Scale definition
Arousal		.76
Central arousal	External sensitivity	.68	Perceptual awareness of mild stimulation from external environment
	Internal sensitivity	.61	Perceptual awareness of low-intensity stimulation from within body
	Low-intensity pleasures	.72	Pleasure-related situations low-intensity situations
	Relief	.54	Pleasure derived from the attenuation of highly arousing situations
Autonomic arousal	Autonomic reactivity	.66	Autonomic activity elicited under arousing conditions
	Falling reactivity	.74	General arousal decreases from its peak to normal intensity
	Rising reactivity	.59	General arousal rises from normal to peak intensity
Motor arousal	Behavioral inhibition	.57	Capacity to suppress impulses
	Cognitive reactivity	.65	General cognitive activity (i.e., daydreaming, problem solving)
	Motor activity	.80	Extent motor system becomes activated in nondirected movements
	Motor tension	.83	Tension experienced in muscle groups throughout the body
Affect		.72
Positive affect	Discomfort	.55	Bad affect resulting from unpleasant stimulation (i.e., pain, irritation)
	High-intensity pleasures	.66	Pleasure from situations involving high intensity
Negative affect	Fear	.66	Unpleasant affect related to unpleasant stimuli (pain, distress, etc.)
	Frustration	.60	Unpleasant affect related to interruption of tasks or blocking of a goal
	Sadness	.65	Lowered mood related to exposure of suffering, loss, and disappointment
Attention		.66
Self-regulation	Attentional focusing	.51	Capacity to intentionally hold attentional focus on desired channels
	Attentional shifting	.51	Capacity to intentionally shift attention to desired channels