Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Perceived Safety While Engaging in Risk Sports

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Perceived Safety

Part of the book series: Risk Engineering ((RISK))

Abstract

Risk sports such as mountaineering, climbing, or backcountry skiing have become quite popular and more easily accessible for the general population. Easy access and added protection may increase perceived safety and result in underestimations of harm. In this chapter, we discuss the interplay of cognition, emotions and bodily states when judging risks while being physically active. We introduce three field and one laboratory study, in which we investigated the influence of physical activity on risk perception. In the field studies, less experienced participants made lower risk judgments under physical activity than before the activity. In the laboratory study, general health-related risks were judged as lower under physical activity. Thus, our findings indicate that physical activity does affect risk judgements. We discuss practical implications on how to support especially less experienced people in making good judgments when engaging in risky activities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ariely, D., & Loewenstein, G. (2006). The heat of the moment: the effect of sexual arousal on sexual decision making. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 19(2), 87–98. https://doi.org/10.1002/bdm.501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bechara, A., & Damasio, A. R. (2005). The somatic marker hypothesis: a neural theory of economic decision. Games and Economic Behavior, 52(2), 336–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T., & Clark, D. A. (1997). An information processing model of anxiety: automatic and strategic processes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 35(1), 49–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(96)00069-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Betsch, T. (2008). The nature of intuition and its neglect in research on judgment and decision making. In H. Plessner, C. Betsch, & T. Betsch (Eds.), Intuition in judgment and decision making (pp. 3–22). Mahaw, NJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Black, A. C., Hochman, E., & Rosen, M. I. (2013). Acute effects of competitive exercise on risk-taking in a sample of adolescent male athletes. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 25(2), 175–179. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200.2012.704621.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, A. W. (2014). Get excited: reappraising pre-performance anxiety as excitement. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(3), 1144–1158. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, A. W., & Schweitzer, M. E. (2011). Can Nervous Nelly negotiate? How anxiety causes negotiators to make low first offers, exit early, and earn less profit. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 115(1), 43–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2011.01.008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Beyond boredom and anxiety. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Delle Fave, A., Bassi, M., & Massimini, F. (2003). Quality of experience and risk perception in high-altitude rock climbing. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 15, 82–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deutscher Alpenverein (2012). DAV-Unfallstatistik 2012. http://www.alpenverein.de/bergsport/sicherheit/bergunfallstatistik/dav-bergunfallstatistik-2012_aid_13110.html. Accessed 20 Sept 2013.

  • Dishman, R. K., & O’Connor, P. J. (2009). Lessons in exercise neurobiology: the case of endorphins. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 2(1), 4–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2009.01.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eysenck, M. W., & Calvo, M. G. (1992). Anxiety and performance: the processing efficiency theory. Cognition and Emotion, 6(6), 409–434. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699939208409696.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Festinger, L. (1957). A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finucane, M. L., Alhakami, A., Slovic, P., & Johnson, S. M. (2000). The affect heuristic in judgments of risks and benefits. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 13, 1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frey, D. (1986). Recent research on selective exposure to information. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology (Vol. 19, pp. 41–80). San Diego: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gigerenzer, G., Todd, P. M., & The ABC Research Group. (1999). Simple heuristics that make us smart. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gross, J. J. (1998). The emerging field of emotion regulation: an integrative review. Review of General Psychology, 2(3), 271–299. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.2.3.271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, E. J., & Tversky, A. (1983). Affect, generalization, and the perception of risk. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45(1), 20–31. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.45.1.20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahneman, D., & Frederick, S. (2002). Representativeness revisited: attribute substitution in intuitive judgment. In T. Gilovich, D. W. Griffin, & D. Kahneman (Eds.), Heuristics and biases: the psychology of intuitive judgment (pp. 49–81). New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, G. A. (1993). A recognition-primed decision (RPD) model of rapid decision making. In Decision making in action: models and methods (pp. 138–147). Ablex Pub.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klein, G. A., Calderwood, R., & Clinton-Cirocco, A. (1986). Rapid decision making on the fire ground. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 30(6), 576–580. https://doi.org/10.1177/154193128603000616.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambourne, K., & Tomporowski, P. (2010). The effect of exercise-induced arousal on cognitive task performance: a meta-regression analysis. Brain Research, 1341, 12–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2010.03.091.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loewenstein, G. F., Weber, E. U., Hsee, C. K., & Welch, N. (2001). Risk as feelings. Psychological Bulletin, 127(2), 267–286. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.127.2.267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mano, H. (1992). Judgments under distress: assessing the role of unpleasantness and arousal in judgment formation. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 52(2), 216–245. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(92)90036-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCammon, I. (2000). The role of training in recreational avalanche accidents in the United States. In Proceedings of the international snow science workshop (pp. 37–45).

    Google Scholar 

  • McCammon, I. (2004). Heuristic traps in recreational avalanche accidents: evidence and implications. Avalanche News, 68, 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peters, E., Västfjäll, D., Gärling, T., & Slovic, P. (2006). Affect and decision making: a “hot” topic. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 19, 79–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raue, M., Kolodziej, R., Lermer, E., & Streicher, B. (2018). Risks seem low while climbing high: shift in risk perception and error rates in the course of indoor climbing activities. Frontiers in Psychology, 9,  2383. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02383.

  • Raue, M., & Scholl, S. G. (2018). The use of heuristics in decision-making under risk and uncertainty. In M. Raue, E. Lermer, & B. Streicher (Eds.), Psychological perspectives on risk and risk analysis - theory, models and applications. New York, NY: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raue, M., Streicher, B., Lermer, E., & Frey, D. (2017). Being active when judging risks: bodily states interfere with accurate risk analysis. Journal of Risk Research, 20(4), 445–462. https://doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2015.1057206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, J. A. (1980). A circumplex model of affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39(6), 1161–1178. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0077714.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rydell, R. J., Mackie, D. M., Maitner, A. T., Claypool, H. M., Ryan, M. J., & Smith, E. R. (2008). Arousal, processing, and risk taking: consequences of intergroup anger. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(8), 1141–1152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shiv, B., Loewenstein, G., Bechara, A., Damasio, H., & Damasio, A. R. (2005). Investment behavior and the negative side of emotion. Psychological Science, 16(6), 435–439. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0956-7976.2005.01553.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simon, H. A. (1955). A behavioral model of rational choice. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 69(1), 99–118. https://doi.org/10.2307/1884852.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slovic, P., & Weber, E. (2002). Perception of risk posed by extreme events. In Risk management strategies in an uncertain world (pp. 1–21).

    Google Scholar 

  • Slovic, P., Finucane, M. L., Peters, E., & MacGregor, D. G. (2004). Risk as analysis and risk as feelings: some thoughts about affect, reason, risk, and rationality. Risk Analysis, 24(2), 311–322.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strack, F., Martin, L. L., & Stepper, S. (1988). Inhibiting and facilitating conditions of the human smile: a nonobtrusive test of the facial feedback hypothesis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(5), 768–777.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under uncertainty: heuristics and biases. Science, 185, 1124–1131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, L. E., & Bargh, J. A. (2008). Experiencing physical warmth promotes interpersonal warmth. Science, 322(5901), 606–607. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1162548.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, A. D., & Golonka, S. (2013). Embodied cognition is not what you think it is. Frontiers in Psychology, 4, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00058.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, M. (2002). Six views of embodied cognition. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 9(4), 625–636.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu, A. J., Zwick, R., & Schwarz, N. (2012). Washing away your (good or bad) luck: physical cleansing affects risk-taking behavior. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 141, 26–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuen, K. S. L., & Lee, T. M. C. (2003). Could mood state affect risk-taking decisions? Journal of Affective Disorders, 75(1), 11–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-0327(02)00022-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhong, C.-B., & Leonardelli, G. J. (2008). Cold and lonely: does social exclusion literally feel cold? Psychological Science, 19(9), 838–842. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02165.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerman, M. (1979). Sensation seeking: beyond the optimal level of arousal. Hillsbaum: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerman, M. (2007). Sensation seeking and risky behavior. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Alexa Balmuth for proofreading this chapter.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. AgeLab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Martina Raue

  2. Institute of Psychology, UMIT—Private University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Eduard-Wallnöfer-Zentrum 1, 6060, Hall in Tyrol, Austria

    Bernhard Streicher

  3. Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, 93053, Regensburg, Germany

    Eva Lermer

  4. FOM University of Applied Sciences for Economics and Management, Arnulfstr. 30, 80335, Munich, Germany

    Eva Lermer

  5. Department of Social Psychology, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Leopoldstr. 13, 80802, Munich, Germany

    Dieter Frey

Authors
  1. Martina Raue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bernhard Streicher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Eva Lermer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Dieter Frey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martina Raue .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. AgeLab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Martina Raue

  2. Institute of Psychology—RiskLab, UMIT—Private University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall in Tyrol, Tyrol, Austria

    Bernhard Streicher

  3. Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany

    Eva Lermer

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Raue, M., Streicher, B., Lermer, E., Frey, D. (2019). Perceived Safety While Engaging in Risk Sports. In: Raue, M., Streicher, B., Lermer, E. (eds) Perceived Safety. Risk Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11456-5_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11456-5_9

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-11454-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-11456-5

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation