Individual differences in risk perception versus risk taking: handedness and interhemispheric interaction

Research indicates that right-hemisphere mechanisms are specifically sensitive to and averse to risk. Research also indicates that mixed degree of handedness is associated with increased access to right hemisphere processing. Accordingly, it was predicted that mixed-handers would exhibit greater risk aversion. Participants were presented with various risky activities and were asked to rate (i) the perceived risk, (ii) the perceived benefit, and (iii) their likelihood to engage in each activity. No handedness differences were found for any of these ratings. Regression analyses, however, indicated that the likelihood to engage in risky activities was predicted primarily by the perceived risks in mixed-handers and by the perceived benefits in strong-handers.     

Reducing optimism bias in the driver’s seat: Comparing two interventions

Optimism bias combined with sensation-seeking and risky driving have been proposed to be the main contributing factors to young drivers’ involvement in road traffic collisions. The present study aimed to evaluate how two brief interventions, one based on an unambiguous definition of “good” driving and the other on a hazard perception test, might reduce young drivers’ optimism bias. One hundred and twenty-eight university students were randomly allocated to one of three groups: standard definition, hazard perception or control. Measures evaluating optimism bias were completed before and after the intervention, and questions regarding their sensation-seeking and past risk-taking tendencies were asked at follow-up. Both brief interventions reduced optimism bias levels, but hazard perception had the strongest effect. The effectiveness of the two interventions also differed across individuals depending on their sensation-seeking and past risky driving tendencies. The results provide evidence for the effectiveness of brief interventions to reduce optimism bias.     

Platelet MAO activity associated with impulsivity and aggressivity

The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and scales purporting to measure sensation seeking, impulsivity and introversion-schizoidia, and scales related to aggressivity from two personality inventories, the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP) and the Eysenck Impulsiveness- Venturesomeness-Empathy (IVE) inventory were given to 58 male subjects. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity was measured in platelets. The two sensation seeking scales were not associated with platelet MAO activity in the present subjects. The two impulsivity scales (IVE Impulsiveness and KSP Impulsiveness) and the KSP Irritability scale (an aggressivity-related scale) were negatively correlated with platelet MAO activity. Subgroups classified on the basis of platelet MAO activity differed in IVE Impulsiveness, KSP Detachment (introversion-schizoidia) and in KSP Irritability, low MAO subjects scoring higher in Impulsiveness and Irritability and high MAO subjects higher in Detachment. There were striking differences between the low MAO subgroup and the other subgroups in the percentage agreement responses in items of the IVE Impulsiveness scale, as well as in self-rated anger-proneness.     

The influence of sensitivity to reward and punishment, propensity for sensation seeking, depression, and anxiety on the risky behaviour of novice drivers: a path model

Young novice drivers are significantly more likely to be killed or injured in car crashes than older, experienced drivers. Graduated driver licensing (GDL), which allows the novice to gain driving experience under less-risky circumstances, has resulted in reduced crash incidence; however, the driver's psychological traits are ignored. This paper explores the relationships between gender, age, anxiety, depression, sensitivity to reward and punishment, sensation-seeking propensity, and risky driving. Participants were 761 young drivers aged 17-24 (M=19.00, SD=1.56) with a Provisional (intermediate) driver's licence who completed an online survey comprising socio-demographic questions, the Impulsive Sensation Seeking Scale, Kessler's Psychological Distress Scale, the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire, and the Behaviour of Young Novice Drivers Scale. Path analysis revealed depression, reward sensitivity, and sensation-seeking propensity predicted the self-reported risky behaviour of the young novice drivers. Gender was a moderator; and the anxiety level of female drivers also influenced their risky driving. Interventions do not directly consider the role of rewards and sensation seeking, or the young person's mental health. An approach that does take these variables into account may contribute to improved road safety outcomes for both young and older road users.     

Sensation-seeking and selection of entertainment

The relationship between entertainment activity preference and sensation-seeking was investigated by survey and actual movie selection and viewing. Cardiac rate and rate change was monitored during movie selection and viewing. High sensation-seeking (HSS) females reported preferences for activities centered about alcohol, sexually-explicit materials and ‘rock’ music. HSS males reported preferences for sexually-explicit materials and news/documentary reports. Low sensation-seeking (LSS) males and females reported preferences for the musical stage, theatrical drama and comedy, and romantic/dramatic novels. HSS males and HSS females allotted high proportions of viewing time to an ‘action’ movie, and changed channels more frequently than LSS. The indices of cardiac response utilized in this study were unrelated to movie viewing activities, a result which does not support the ‘optimal level of arousal’ view of sensation-seeking proposed by Zuckerman (1979).     

Sensation seeking and arousal systems

This article discusses the overgeneralized construct of ‘arousal’, pointing out some of the problems of speaking of it as mediated by a single system. The literature and current studies of the orienting and defensive reflexes, and augmenting-reducing of the cortical evoked potential in relation to the sensation-seeking (SS) trait are discussed. The data relating platelet MAO and CSF, plasma and urinary measures of bioamines, their metabolites and enzymes, to SS, extraversion and behavioral indices are also treated. Relationships between arousal measured in different systems are pointed out. Personality theory is seen as a vehicle for understanding the organization of arousal systems in adaptation to environmental stimulation.     

Effects of sleep deprivation and morningness-eveningness traits on risk-taking

Individuals differ along a continuum of preference for diurnal activity level, known as Morningness-Eveningness. Individuals low in Morningness traits, i.e., preferring later awakening and bed times, have been shown to score higher on personality traits of impulsiveness and novelty-seeking. No studies have yet examined the association between Morningness-Eveningness and the related construct of risk-taking. Therefore, the present study examined (1) whether Morningness was correlated with self-reported and behavioral measures of risk-taking, and (2) whether one night of sleep deprivation would produce changes in risk-taking and sensation-seeking. 54 healthy adults were administered the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire at intake, and administered the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, Evaluation of Risks Scale, and Balloon Analog Risk Task at rested baseline, again following 23 hr. of sleep deprivation, and finally after a 12-hr. period of recovery sleep. Lower Morningness scores were associated with higher self-reported total risk-taking propensity when rested (p< .05) and sleep deprived (p<.005), but correlations were not significant for sensation seeking or actual risk-taking behavior. Relative to baseline and postrecovery periods, sleep deprivation significantly reduced risk-taking propensity, including self-report indices of self-control, danger-seeking, energy level, and sensation-seeking, and behaviorally measured risk-taking. Chronotype did not interact with sleep condition for any of the dependent variables, although Evening Types scored higher on several indices of risk-propensity. Findings suggest that Morningness traits are inversely related to greater risk-taking propensity, while sleep deprivation significantly reduces self-reported and behaviorally demonstrated willingness to engage in high-risk and sensational activities under conditions of uncertainty, regardless of chronotype.     

The Dark Triad and risk behavior

The Dark Triad traits—Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy—are theorized to facilitate short-term, exploitative social tactics. Thus, the Dark Triad traits should be positively related to (a) similar short-term-focused traits such as impulsivity and sensation-seeking, and (b) risky behaviors. In two studies (N > 1400), we examined the relationships among the Dark Triad traits and impulsivity and sensation-seeking. In Study 2, we incorporated risk behaviors, including blackjack betting and temporal discounting of money. Both studies showed positive relationships among the Dark Triad traits and impulsivity and sensation-seeking. Study 2 showed positive relationships among the Dark Triad traits, blackjack betting, and steeper temporal discounting. An experimentally manipulated ego threat in Study 2 marginally moderated the narcissism–discounting relationship; ego-threatened participants had a significantly positive relationship, whereas those who were not threatened showed no relationship. We discuss implications of the Dark Triad traits for understanding risk behavior.     

Sexual sensation-seeking and worry about sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among Spanish adolescents

The target of this study is to assess the relationship between sexual sensation-seeking, worry about STD/HIV infection, and risky sexual behaviours among 182 adolescents aged 13-18 years. Results showed that participants who engaged in a wider range of potentially risky behaviours (e.g., sexual experience, higher number of sexual partners in last six months, and the last sexual contact with a casual partner) obtained higher sensation-seeking scores. It was also found that adolescents who engaged in sex with a casual partner in their last sexual contact reported being worried about STD/HIV infection, but adolescents having sex with a steady partner underestimated their risk of STD/HIV infection. These results support the idea that preventive programmes may benefit from including components aimed at teaching adolescents to satisfy their preferences for sexual sensation-seeking through novel and stimulating sexual behaviours involving minimum risk. Similarly, the need to include components aimed at making adolescents become realistically aware of the STD/HIV risk involved in unprotected intercourse with steady love partners is highlighted.     

Other- versus self-focus and risky health behavior: the case of HIV/AIDS

We examined the relationships of other-focus and self-focus with risky health behaviors among HIV+ individuals. Participants who were recruited by an AIDS advocacy organization completed anonymous questionnaires that included measures of other-focus (i.e. empathic concern and perspective-taking) and self-focus (i.e. personal distress and exaggerated internal control); direct measures of concern about the consequences of HIV/AIDS for the self, close others, and society; and a measure of willingness to engage in HIV/AIDS risk behaviors. As predicted, other-focus measures were generally associated with less, and self-focus measures with greater, willingness to engage in risky behavior. However, concern about the consequences of HIV/AIDS for close others was similar to self-focus and was associated with greater willingness to engage in risky behavior. These results are consistent with the notion that prevention efforts focusing on the consequences of HIV/AIDS – and perhaps other communicable diseases – might be more effective if they highlighted the consequences of the disease for society.     

College student risk-taking from three perspectives

This study addressed college student risk-taking from three perspectives: dispositional trait, decision-making, and environmental. One hundred ninety-six college students provided information on sensation-seeking, locus of control, perceived risks, perceived benefits, risk involvement, peer influence, perceived peer participation, and social desirability, and responded to risky behavior scenarios. Results showed that sensation-seeking, perceived peer participation, and perceived benefits were associated with risk involvement. In the risk-taking decision-making process, the certainty of the decision was related to participation. In addition, the likelihood of consequences occurring influenced students' responses regarding participation in unprotected sex. Further, students most frequently considered consequences that affect them personally when considering risk-taking.     

Risk‐taking and the adolescent brain: who is at risk?

Relative to other ages, adolescence is described as a period of increased impulsive and risk-taking behavior that can lead to fatal outcomes (suicide, substance abuse, HIV, accidents, etc.). This study was designed to examine neural correlates of risk-taking behavior in adolescents, relative to children and adults, in order to predict who may be at greatest risk. Activity in reward-related neural circuitry in anticipation of a large monetary reward was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging, and anonymous self-report ratings of risky behavior, anticipation of risk and impulsivity were acquired in individuals between the ages of 7 and 29 years. There was a positive association between accumbens activity and the likelihood of engaging in risky behavior across development. This activity also varied as a function of individuals' ratings of anticipated positive or negative consequences of such behavior. Impulsivity ratings were not associated with accumbens activity, but rather with age. These findings suggest that during adolescence, some individuals may be especially prone to engage in risky behaviors due to developmental changes in concert with variability in a given individual's predisposition to engage in risky behavior, rather than to simple changes in impulsivity.     

Personality, risky driving and accident involvement among Norwegian drivers

Despite the large body of studies, the role of personality in risk research still remains debatable and unclear. The objective of this study was to identify determinants of road user behaviour and accident involvement with the aim of developing effective accident countermeasures. Examining relationships between personality, risky driving and involvement in accidents can open up the possibility of early identification of those more likely to be involved in accidents. The aim is not to influence personality as such, but to develop measures constructed for specific groups. The results are based on a self-completion questionnaire survey carried out among a sample of Norwegian drivers in year 2000 and 2001 (n=2605). The Norwegian Directorate of Public Roads financed the study. The questionnaire included measures of risky driving, accident involvement, normlessness, sensation-seeking, locus of control and driver anger. Results showed that those who scored high on sensation seeking, normlessness and driver anger reported more frequent risky driving compared to those who scored low on these variables. They were more often involved in both speeding and ignorance of traffic rules. Respondents involved in risk taking-behaviour experienced near-accidents and crashes leading to both injuries and material damage more often than other drivers.     

Personality differences between young dancers and non-dancers

Leisure activities, interests and personality traits of young dancers, spending about 15 h weekly on classical and modern ballet education, were assessed by means of a number of questionnaires.Two groups were selected. One comprised dancers, aged 11 or 12 years who had been attending a professional ballet school for one or two years. The other group, dancers aged 15 or 16 years, had attended the same ballet school for at least four years. Children of the same age, not involved (above average) in any particular activity made up the two control groups. Leisure activities and interests of dancers differed only slightly from those of non-dancers, although some significant differences emerged. With respect to physical self-concept and self-esteem, findings indicated significantly less favourable attitudes and less self-esteem among dancers as compared to non-dancers. This was true especially in the older group of children. In both age groups, dancers were significantly more introverted than non-dancers.The results are discussed with reference to the frequently reported positive effects of physical activity on feelings of well-being and on self concept.     

The interactive effect of vehicle signals and sensation-seeking on driver hazard perception

Does sensation seeking—as a personality trait that is closely related to risky driving—affect a driver's hazard perception, and if so, under what circumstances? Using hazard locations and vehicle signals as cues, this study classifies traffic situations into four types: danger ahead with cues, danger ahead without cues, danger behind with cues, and danger behind without cues. Based on these classifications, we examine the characteristics of hazard perception, decision-making criteria, sensitivity, and visual attention patterns of drivers with different sensation-seeking tendencies. Fifty-two experienced drivers were recruited for experiments in Dalian, China. Using computer, participants were shown videos taken from the driver's perspective and were asked to respond to hazards by pressing keys on the left mouse button. Their eye movements were recorded, and a multi-dimensional driving-style scale was used to divide participants into higher and lower sensation-seeking groups. The results showed that the higher sensation-seeking drivers had a lower hazard detection rate, fewer fixation counts, and shorter glances when there were cues, and they responded more slowly when there was danger ahead. For dangers ahead with cues and dangers behind without cues, the more attention the higher sensation-seeking drivers paid to the danger, the slower their response and the lower their hazard detection rate. The results indicated that higher sensation-seeking drivers have poor hazard perception in situations when there are vehicle signals as prompting clues and dangers ahead. In particular, for a danger with clues, the visual agility of the higher sensation-seeking drivers was worse than that of the lower sensation-seeking drivers. The more attention they paid to the danger the worse their hazard perception. The results of this study can provide guidance to teach drivers hazard-perception skills.     

Negative urgency and risky sexual behaviors: A clarification of the relationship between impulsivity and risky sexual behavior

How does impulsivity relate to risky sexual behavior? Whereas some research has attempted to answer this question in terms of global impulsivity, past research has demonstrated the need to conceptualize impulsivity as a multifaceted trait (Whiteside & Lynam, 2001). Research has been mixed as to which facets of impulsivity predict risky sexual behavior. The major aim of this project was to further the understanding between the five facets of impulsivity (positive urgency, negative urgency, lack of premeditation, sensation-seeking, and lack of perseverance) and risky sexual behavior. This study used a longitudinal design and showed that risky sex was highest among people who act rashly on the basis of negative emotion (negative urgency) and who crave novel, exciting situations (sensation seeking). These findings add to a growing body of literature on the importance of different facets of impulsivity in predicting risky sexual behavior.     

Risky behaviours associated with traffic crashes among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers in Vietnam

Motorcycle taxi services provide an important mobility option for people in developing countries. With the emergence of new transport technologies, app-based motorcycle taxi services have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, little is known about risky driving behaviours and their association with traffic crashes among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers. Through a survey of 602 app-based motorcycle taxi drivers from three cities in Vietnam, this research aimed to investigate the incidence of risky driving behaviours and their association with driver characteristics and traffic crashes. Using a mobile phone while driving was found to be the most common risky driving behaviour (52%) among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers, followed by neglecting to use turn signals (31%), encroaching car lanes (25%), exceeding the speed limit (21%), running red lights (19%) and carrying more than one passenger (17%). In addition, drivers who were students, or those who worked more than 50 h per week, were found to be more likely to engage in risky driving behaviours. Binary logistic regression modelling showed that neglecting to use turn signals, carrying more than one passenger and smoking while driving was significantly associated with self-reported active crash/fall involvement. Turn signal neglect was also associated with active injury crash/fall involvement. The incidence of risky driving behaviours and associated crash involvement was found to be lower among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers compared with regular motorcyclists, yet the findings still highlight the need for ride-hailing firms to deliver improved education and road safety training for their drivers.     

Characteristics of Dieting and Nondieting Adolescents in a Psychiatric Inpatient Setting

  The clinical and psychosocial characteristics of 239 dieting and nondieting adolescents (61% female; mean age=15.3) recruited from an inpatient psychiatric setting were examined. Dieting adolescents were compared to nondieting adolescents on exercise frequency, weight control behaviors, risky behaviors, psychiatric comorbidity and distress, eating disorder symptomatology, smoking, coping, and family factors. While dieters did not statistically differ from nondieters on scores of body mass index, dieting youth reported greater levels of self-reported distress, poorer coping, greater eating disorder symptomatology, and were more likely to engage in extreme weight control behaviors. In addition, dieting was associated with higher rates of major depression (58% vs 34%) and eating disorders (14% vs 1%). Among adolescent smokers, dieters endorsed smoking as a weight control behavior. Engaging in risky behaviors or familial factors did not differentiate dieters from nondieters. Given the number of negative correlates associated with dieting in adolescents, identifying dieting and weight control behaviors in clinical settings may prove to be an effective strategy in the development of prevention and intervention efforts for youth.