Survey on psychological aspects of "extreme" diving

[Squirrel Girl]

I started it, but stopped. It seems to be geared towards 'thrill seeking' and finding a 'rush'. This to me seems already slanted and any answers will be geared towards those on-set premises. I disagree with that.

Nice effort though.

I was explaining to someone today that there's not a huge "weeeeee" factor in cave diving. Bungee jumping would have a big weeeee factor (or in my case, I-eeeeeeeeee! )

[mfascuba]

Extreme, Risky and Challenging are relative terms. The diving that I consider mundane some might consider extreme, but others might consider completely insignificant. I don't do risky dives, period. There may be inherent risk in the activity, but I manage it to a level that is acceptable to me. Challenging is also a relative word - I dive every week or two, and there are some dives that I find no challenge in that others who do different kinds of diving may find overwhelming. On the other hand, someone who dives every day in the same environment I dive in would likely not find my dives to be very challenging.

Mark

[MengTze]

I was explaining to someone today that there's not a huge "weeeeee" factor in cave diving. Bungee jumping would have a big weeeee factor (or in my case, I-eeeeeeeeee! )

I agree with you. You will not see me do a bungee or parachute/base jump.... THAT is extreme and seriously dangerous stuff. Once you engage.........you ARE committed.

I agree Mark, it is all relative. And the survey done from that viewpoint and base line of recreational diving makes cave diving extreme...

[wingman]

There's a psychologist named Zuckerman who has focused on sensation seeking and risky behavior (the title of his most recent book) and he developed scales for sensation seeking. One subscale is associated with thrill and adventure seeking...the desire to engage in physical activities that provide unusual sensations and experiences (he mentions mountain climbing and scuba). He suggests most of these activities are moderately risky and thus they deter lower sensation seekers from engaging in them. He also clearly states that it is the sensation reward for high sensation seekers, not the risk that attracts them. Sensation seeking has been linked to genetic and neural characteristics in a biobehavioral context and is also more heavily engaged in by males and young people (among other factors) for biological reasons and their data (read the 3 books and many papers) supports that. His definition is instructive:

"Sensation seeking is a trait defined by the seeking of of varied, novel, complex and intense sensations and experiences and the willingness to take physical, social, legal, and financial risks for the sake of such experience"

I interpret that from an economic perspective in terms of willingness to pay Zuckerman goes on to say "...sensation seekers do not seek risk for its own sake. It is not the riskiness of their activities that make them rewarding." He points out that many sensations are not risky at all (eg. a rock concert) and he also develops an explanation of why sensation seekers are willing to engage in risky behavior for the resulting stimulation.

All in all very interesting stuff and it would be intersting to get a sample of cave divers to fill out a sensation seeking scale. Just happen to be reading his latest book at the moment for a research project i am involved in in another context. Bill

[MORGAN]

I was explaining to someone today that there's not a huge "weeeeee" factor in cave diving. Bungee jumping would have a big weeeee factor (or in my case, I-eeeeeeeeee! )

Or Peeeeeeee! I'm pretty sure I'd wet my pants (at least!) if I bungee jumped! I'm not scared of heights - used to be a firefighter, rock & ice climber, vertical caver, and think parachuting would be fun to try. But I have no desire to bungee jump - or more accurately a powerful desire not to! There's something about it that's just wrong!


Mike

[J_glenn06]

I just done understand why anyone would jump out of an airplane that is perfectly fine with landing!!

[sskasser]

I just done understand why anyone would jump out of an airplane that is perfectly fine with landing!!

Because it TOTALLY ROCKS! Having more take-offs than landings in planes is Suh WEEEET!

[wingman]

Because it TOTALLY ROCKS! Having more take-offs than landings in planes is Suh WEEEET!

I did not know you were a jumper...spent a lot of time doing that myself in my younger days (USPA class C)...was on a 10 man star team and lettered in collegiate sport parachuting; had the honor of closing the first five man over my university drop zone and was also on a demo team jumping into stadiums and such. I quit many years ago but many fond (and a few not so fond) memories. Always have had more landings than takeoffs and that's becuse i also spent a lot of time flying the jump planes and launching meat missiles...<lol>

[aainslie]

I started it, but stopped. It seems to be geared towards 'thrill seeking' and finding a 'rush'. This to me seems already slanted and any answers will be geared towards those on-set premises. I disagree with that.

Nice effort though.

All the more reason why you should answer it.

This kid entirely misses the point of "thrill seeking" sports. He's buying onto the myth that it's about adrenalin, and missing that it's about control.

[bletso]

This kid entirely misses the point of "thrill seeking" sports. He's buying onto the myth that it's about adrenalin, and missing that it's about control.

At least with me it is about about control. I like to stack the cards in my favor, and if I can't, I won't do the dive. It's not about a rush, I get that just by diving.

No one has ever talked me into a dive I wasn't comfortable about. Yes, many people think I am a loose wire. I dive caves and deep with my own MCCR unit. As stated, risk is relative to ones POV and experience.

Safe Diving


Dale