If they jump out of a plane or kayak down rapids, they have a sense of accomplishment. It's not surprising that blue-collar workers rarely participate in these sports. The Zuckerman sensation scale, developed in 1964, measures the level of thrill-seeker in people. Mountain climbers score the highest. Surprisingly, women under 30 who are thrill-seekers score the highest of all, even higher than men.
Research suggests a relationship between high-sensation scores and drugs and violence in teens.
One study concluded that high-risk sports might be an antidote for teen violence and drug use. The Tempe, Ariz. parks and recreations department is taking this to heart and has added an extreme adventure program to its teen activity lineup. The department built a rock climbing wall and started a league for grades 6 through 10. It has plans for climbing boulders and rappelling, and is looking into adding water slides to swimming pools, and bungee towers and wave pools to whitewater kayak. In fact, rock climbing walls are sprouting everywhere.