Focuses on the positive aspects of risk-taking activities like
bungee jumping and sky diving. How risk can be psychologically rewarding;
Survey of first-time jumpers to rate their likelihood of bungee-related
injury and its results; Lessons jumpers should take to their adventurous
counterparts.
By
Camille Chatterjee, published on September 01, 1997
Are bungee jumpers crazy to dive so willingly into danger? They
might justhave a case of extreme optimism. Novice bungee jumpers believe
that they face less risk than other jumpers, says a new study in the
Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. But facing this risk may be
psychologically rewarding: Jumpers are in better moods than the people
who watch them.
Wendy Middleton, a lecturer at England's Royal Holloway College,
and colleagues asked 116 first-time jumpers to rate their likelihood of
bungee-related injury. Although previous studies have shown that
risk-takers in a variety of activities often lose confidence right before
the moment of truth, the researchers found that jumpers predicted less
injury for themselves than for the average jumper, both upon their
arrival at the bungee club and just before the jump.
But friends and family of the bungee jumpers weren't as comfortable
with the risk their loved ones were taking. When questioned, they
predicted the same prospect of injury for their companions as for the
average jumper, and most said they had no desire to take the plunge
themselves.
Maybe they should take a lesson from their more adventurous
counterparts: the jumpers came to the club with more positive: attitudes
than their observers and their attitudes further improved right before
taking off. Interviews conducted with experienced jumpers suggest that
risk-taking activities such as bungee jumping or skydiving allow
participants to confront their fears and gain a sense of achievement. The
study "reminds us that people do get something out of taking risks," says
Middleton. "There are positive aspects to risk-taking."
PHOTO (COLOR): Bungee jumper
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