GAR333 0 #1 December 22, 2007 Hey I'm studying psychological well-being in participants of extreme sports for my dissertation/thesis in psychology. So if anyone can spare 15 minutes to complete an online questionnaire that would be great. As a thank-you, all those who complete a questionnaire have the chance to be entered into a draw to win an Amazon gift voucher. To read a bit more about this, or to complete the questionnaire click on the link below. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Q1qsPgvrov_2fZZVtRVzN2EQ_3d_3d Cheers! Gareth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 200 #2 December 22, 2007 I think the topic is a contradiction of terms Please don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GAR333 0 #3 December 22, 2007 Thanks for the reply, I guess that's what I am trying to find out about. There was a time when physical risk taking was considered as indicative of psychosis; psychoanalytical theory (Freud et al) claimed it was indicative of a death wish. There's quite a bit of research out there, but it's generally related to personality measures. There's very little research on levels of psychological well-being in participants of skydiving or any other extreme sport. I thought it would be an interesting area to explore for my dissertation, a bit original and better than the same old studies that my peers seem to pick each and every year. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kschilk 0 #4 December 22, 2007 I'm a bit confused by the term "extreme". Nobody's doing anything new, just the same stuff we did when we were kids...but without the benefit of protective gear. What they call "extreme" these days, we used to call "playing". "T'was ever thus." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #5 December 22, 2007 it IS a thought provoking subject... and as time marches on, thoughts change The early psychologists merely scratched the surface.... made a determination and tossed a label at it... death wish..... Now as "extreme sports" of all kinds have grown...and we learn about them and about their enthusiasts we find there is not any such wish.. Hell. we don't even want to injure ourselves...Understanding and accepting Risk, might be all it is... Everyones level for that varies and what is frightening to one person can be exciting to another... Most participants in such sports , ARE extremists.... extremely Careful... extremely thoughtful, extremely thorough..... (maybe to the point of "obsessive") Perhaps when someone begins such activities, there IS a streak of Craziness, recklessness, daring , and that can be a healthy thing, if it is properly channelled, and allowed to lead us into new and exciting challenges... i never dreamed that my interest is making ONE parachute jump, just for the hell of it, would lead to such wonder and joy... So sometimes "going for it" is the RIGHT idea... To mistake a curiousity or interest in an extereme sport " as indicative of psychosis" is .... well, "crazy" ....Good thing we have grown away from many of the things that the early "Psychs" had to say... There is a real likelihood that our sense of well being is Enhanced, and very much Improved.. by involvement in extreme sports... I Know that for me, my whole life has been affected,, the happiness that i find in many aspects of my life, is reinforced and is positively impacted, by my pursuit of the most amazing Hobby,,, in the world... ( imho ) It could also be, a function of 'time in the sport' coupled with 'postive or negative experiences', that will determine if our sense of well being is helped or hurt..... for each of us, it could be different... While a few participants, who are on the novice level of ANY extreme sport, are arguably.. 'out there'j t Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GAR333 0 #6 December 22, 2007 Hi kschilk I had to use a generic term as I'm asking the same questions of mountain/rock climbers, paragliders, hang gliders. I guess some people will think they aren't extreme sports when compared to skydiving. Unfortunately I have to jump through hoops for my dissertation, and the phrase "extreme sport" has been operationalised as "any sport where one has to accept a possibility of severe injury or death as an inherent part of the activity", and I guess that applies to skydiving and the other sports I have mentioned. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GAR333 0 #7 December 22, 2007 Hi Jimmy It is thought provoking, and just to clarify I don't for one moment think skydivers have a death wish or have some form of psychosis. In fact I think participation in extreme sports have benefits. Whilst I can only claim to have ever done 1 tandem jump, 3 bungees and done some paragliding, which I will hopefully add to in the future, I feel as if I have got a lot out of these experiences. Thanks for your response, if I had the time and the resources I would have liked to have got out there and done interviews at drop zones to get a real feel for things rather than just use an online questionnaire. I must admit I wasn't expecting people to take the time respond to my post. Cheers Gareth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
laughn_gas 0 #8 December 22, 2007 I took your survey. Good luck on your dissertation/thesis. See ya in a minute. Peace out! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrinerose 0 #9 December 22, 2007 I took your survey, hope you provide us with the results later... I've done a crapload of surveys for people on here asking for help and no one ever posts what they come up with. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 5 #10 December 22, 2007 The May, 1971, Parachutist carried an article "Why They Jump: A Psychological Study of Skydivers," by John Lattimer Delk, a clinical psychologist at the University of Arizona. The executive summary: "...the typical skydiver is: of superior intelligence; free from anxiety, phobia and depression; open and lacking in defensiveness; somewhat socially deviant and anticonventional; inclined to reject traditional religious beliefs; self-confident and positive; impulsive and oriented toward action; hedonistic and thrill-seeking; social and extroverted, and; free from health worries." Some other excerpts: "...a significantly large number of skydivers admit to having indulged in unusual sex practices, doing dangerous things just for the thrill involved, and using alcohol to excess." "Is the act of skydiving sexually symbolic? A psychoanalytically oriented psychologist or psychiatrist might say that leaping from an aircraft into the wild blue is really celestial intercourse, an incestuous relationship with old mother earth. I simply cannot accept that..." Etc., etc., ad nauseam. The article is four pages long, too long to post here. But if you want a copy, pm me with a mail address that can accept a 3mb PDF file. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Orange1 0 #11 December 23, 2007 Quote I thought it would be an interesting area to explore for my dissertation, a bit original and better than the same old studies that my peers seem to pick each and every year. with respect... survey requests like this get posted here fairly regularly, so not sure how 'original' it is... i'm presuming from what you say though that very few of them end up as published research.Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shermanator 3 #12 December 23, 2007 Quote"any sport where one has to accept a possibility of severe injury or death as an inherent part of the activity", With that definition of what an extreme sport is, I am wondering if you are also interviewing football players, gymnists, divers, rugby, soccer, and pretty much every sport out there.CLICK HERE! new blog posted 9/21/08 CSA #720 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GAR333 0 #13 December 23, 2007 Hi Orange I meant 'original' in the context of the topic areas that I have seen my peers pick over the last 3 years at Uni. During my literature search I have found about 20 published papers so far, that specifically look at extreme sports in one form or another, but these seem to concentrate on personality measures, and don't look at self efficacy, self esteem etc. I appreciate that it probably gets tedious replying to these surveys over and over again, so thanks to the 64 people who have spent time responding. Gareth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sub 0 #14 December 23, 2007 Done. Please keep us informed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baksteen 84 #15 December 23, 2007 Good luck with your thesis, dude! Just ignore the sniper type of response, some people just cant help themselves. But I have one comment; on the page which like a moron I forgot to copy paste, but on which you asked to rate from 1-5: You ask about risk taking being the motivation. I kinda miss the safety-aspects of the sport, if you know what I mean. Sure, freefall and canopy flight are cool, but I make sure I get down safely. If I feel I'm not ready for something, I won't do it."That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Loonix 0 #16 December 23, 2007 I second that. I skydive not because it's risky, but in spite of it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kschilk 0 #17 December 23, 2007 QuoteI second that. I skydive not because it's risky, but in spite of it. If I really thought skydiving was dangerous, I wouldn't be doin' it. If I wanted to be a daredevil, I'd go canoeing.....or to a mall."T'was ever thus." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohanW 0 #18 December 23, 2007 QuoteI had to use a generic term as I'm asking the same questions of mountain/rock climbers, paragliders, hang gliders. I guess some people will think they aren't extreme sports when compared to skydiving. Are you kidding? I've never considered skydiving dangerous, or extreme. Those other sports, however, might get you killed! Not to mention soccer. No knees after 30! ***"any sport where one has to accept a possibility of severe injury or death as an inherent part of the activity" Like driving to work, you mean? About your questionnaire: "Most people see me as loving and affectionate", "People would describe me as a giving person, willing to share my time with others" - Why don't you ask them? "Some people wander aimlessly through life but I am not one of them" - Which part of this question would you like me to disagree with most? There was another one of those, but I stopped copy/pasting. Though I'd hate to feel unique, I've never considered skydiving dangerous or extreme. Or bungee jumping. Or riding a motorcycle. It's a calculated risk, much like a game of poker. And the biggest risk is not dying - it's nearly, but not, dying.Johan. I am. I think. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cashmanimal 0 #19 December 24, 2007 I just wrote a 10+ page paper about psychological well-weing and extreme sports and physical activity. It's total crap, I just wanted to get it done and out of the way (for a GE psych class, obviously not your caliber) but if you want it, a few of my opinions are in it. PM me if ya want.... I don't mind letting this gem go for a good cause.It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
itllclear 1 #20 December 24, 2007 Have you reviewed the articles by Fenz & Epstein in the late 60's/early 70's? Let me have an email addy and I'll send the bibliography from a college paper I did on "Psychological and Sociological Aspects of Sport Parachuting" Blue skies! harry"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there." "Your statement answered your question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
