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Risk taking and personality.

M R Levenson1

  • 1Normative Aging Study, Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic, Boston, Massachusetts 02108.

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|June 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary
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This study differentiates psychological profiles of antisocial, adventurous, and prosocial risk takers. Findings reveal distinct personality traits and motivations across these diverse risk-taking groups.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Understanding the diverse motivations behind risk-taking behaviors is crucial.
  • Previous research has not adequately differentiated the psychological profiles of various risk-taking groups.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the personality and social orientations of antisocial, adventurous, and prosocial risk takers.
  • To identify distinct psychological characteristics associated with different forms of risk-taking.

Main Methods:

  • A discriminant analysis was employed to classify individuals into three groups: drug-treatment residents (antisocial), rock climbers (adventurous), and decorated police/firefighters (prosocial).
  • Key measures included substance abuse proclivity, emotional arousability, conformity, moral reasoning, empathy, psychopathy, and sensation seeking.

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Main Results:

  • Discriminant analysis successfully classified 98.18% of the sample into distinct groups.
  • Antisocial risk takers (drug-treatment residents) scored high on psychopathy, substance abuse proclivity, and emotionality, with lower moral reasoning.
  • Adventurous risk takers (rock climbers) scored high on sensation seeking and moral reasoning, linked to higher education levels.

Conclusions:

  • Drug-treatment residents, rock climbers, and heroes represent distinct psychological types.
  • Different forms of risk-taking are associated with unique personality structures and social orientations.
  • The study highlights the heterogeneity of risk-taking behaviors and their underlying psychological correlates.