Enjoyment of high- and low-risk activities: Personality and environmental influences

This study examined flow-related experiences, fear, mood enhancement, trait anxiety, optimism, and sensation seeking as possible factors that may influence enjoyment of high- and low-risk physical activities, as well as a non-physical activity. Males (N = 128) between 19 and 41 years of age who participated in rock-climbing (n = 42), swimming (n = 48), or an undergraduate health education class (n = 42) volunteered for this study. Rock-climbers and swimmers were considered to be participants in high- and low-risk activities respectively. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, Lie-scale, Life Orientation Test, and Profile of Mood States prior to the activity. Post-activity inventories included the Trait portion of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, Sensation Seeking Scale, Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale, and Profile of Mood States. As hypothesized, results of a one-way ANOVA indicated that rock-climbers and swimmers enjoyed their activity more than did the students in a lecture (p < .0001). Rock-climbers also enjoyed their activity more than did the swimmers (p < .0001). Multiple discriminant analysis revealed as hypothesized that the flow-related experiences of absorption, accomplishment, exhilaration, invigoration, and stimulation were rated as more important for enjoyment by rock-climbers than swimmers and students in a lecture (p < .0001). Flow experiences also were cited as more important for enjoyment by the swimmers than the lecture students. A chi-squared analysis supported the hypothesis that more rock-climbers reported enjoyment of fear than swimmers and students (p < .02). Results of a MANOVA and multiple comparisons indicated that swimmers reported greater mood benefits than the climbers on only the POMS subscale of Anger. Both swimmers and rock-climbers reported greater mood benefits than the lecture students on Tension, Depression, and Vigor. Results of simple regression analyses on pre- to post-activity change in TMD and PACES scores revealed that mood enhancement was a source of enjoyment for rock-climbers (p < .01), but not for the swimmers or lecture students. Multiple discriminant analysis supported the hypothesizes that more rock-climbers would report higher levels of experience seeking than swimmers and students (p < .0001). Both rock-climbers and students reported lower levels of trait anxiety, and high levels of total sensation seeking, thrill and adventure seeking, and disinhibition seeking than swimmers (p < .01). Content analysis of the participants' responses to an open-ended enjoyment question supported many of the quantitative research findings. In conclusion, situational and personal factors may interact to affect exercisers enjoyment of high- and low-risk activities.