Rose, who recently studied the marketing of risky sports, such as skydiving, said research found certain characteristics that accounted for most participation in risky sports. Individual characteristics, like sensation-seekers, are the same characteristics that are related to other risky activities, such as drug use, promiscuous sexual relations or other things, he said. Obviously, risky sports is a much more acceptable solution, depending on how you look at it and what your reference points are. Research determined that most participants were in their 20s, were more often single than married, non-parents rather than parents, he said. We also looked at values, Rose said.
People place a value on excitement.
On the other side, people that tend to value a sense of belonging seem to be more home-oriented and get a lot of meaning out of interpersonal relationships they deem important, mostly within the home context. If you have a high sense of belonging, you have a tendency not to engage in risky sports. Group motives were also influential factors, he said. A lot of people are attracted to risky sports because their friends are, he said. It s not necessarily peer pressure.