The effect of sensation seeking and mortality salience on risk -taking behavior in scuba divers

This research examined the effects of death reminders on the risk-taking behaviors of scuba divers. Participating divers (n=160; 101 male, 59 female) were given the Sensation Seeking Scale---form V, the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding, and a demographic questionnaire about scuba experience. The dependent variables were seven risky diving scenarios and a seven-point scale of the perceived risk for each of the scenarios. Half the divers were given a death reminder. Results indicated that, as hypothesized, those who scored high in sensation seeking were more likely to engage in risky diving behavior. Results indicated that distal reminders of death had no significant effect on risk-taking behavior as compared with controls. Divers with more experience were more likely to engage in risky diving behavior, suggesting a self-efficacy factor that may have negated any effect of the death reminder. The effects of dive experience were moderated by risk perception, particularly in the experimental condition. The results are examined in view of the ambiguous nature of proximal and distal death reminders in extreme sports. The social aspect of terror management mechanisms and how it might operate in extreme sports, as well as the practical value of considering this aspect in dive training, are discussed.