As many of you know, the winter Olympics began last Friday. I LOVE the olympics and seem to have it on at all times. Last night (February 17, 2010) was the halfpipe competition. During the competition Shawn White did a trick that had never been done before. That trick, the Double McTwist 1260, was not done to win the competition - because his previous run had locked the gold metal - it was done during what was a victory lap. The Double McTwist 1260 is when a rider competes 3 1/2 turns while also flipping head-over-heals two times. His victory run was said to have been "epic."
You can watch his run at: http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/assetid=9145d5c5-ca3d-4123-bd38-5fbe4b70c112.html#mens+halfpipe+expert+analysis
While watching these men fly, twist, and flip through the air, I was reminded of how much I am afraid of. I got scared for the guys who were "dropping in to the halfpipe."
But it is not only the halfpipe that I would never try (just watch the falls they take). I could never do most of the winter olympic sports. If anyone else saw the falls taken by the women down hill skiers yesterday, who hit the snow at 70 mph and slid almost the length of a football field before stopping. Or, take American short track skater, J.R. Celski who fell during the National competition for short track and cut his leg down to the bone with his other skate. He was close to bleeding out on the ice. Or, the scariest example, the death of the Georgian athlete while practicing the luge.
What could possibly motivate these athletes to take part in the most dangerous sports in the Olympics?
I found an article that discusses the motivation that drives extreme athletes. They argued that it cannot only be sensation seeking, because many extreme athletes do not take extreme risks outside of their sport. The researchers, Slanger and Rudestam (1997), found that those athletes who participate in extreme sports, such as skiing, rock climbing, kayaking and stunt flying were motivated more by a desire to master than athletes who participate in moderate risk sports. Disinhibition associated with risk taking was found to be caused by a sense of self-efficacy. Those who participate in extreme sports are more apt to believe they can do the extreme sports and so they attempt things none of the rest of us would. The extreme athletes also tended to repress emotions more readily than the control groups. So not only do they honestly believe they can do things that no one else can, they can also easily repress any anxiety over the risk.
This article can be found at: Science Direct
As I continue to enjoy the Olympics and the seemingly crazy things that athletes do, I will keep in mind that they are motivated differently than I am and that is what makes them fearless in activities that at the least can be labeled as risky.
Although sensation seeking may not be the only motivation for athletes involved in extreme sports, I think it may be one of the main motivations for them. Sensation seekers as defined in the textbook are more willing to take physical risks, social risks, legal risks, and financial risks. I think that athletes like Shaun White show that they are willing to take the physical risks involved with extreme sports, like snowboarding. It is very possible to become injured, or even die like the luger, while participating in these activities. Sensation seekers engage in physically risky activities, like stated above. On Shaun White’s website it talks about how he also plays soccer, surfs, skis, and skateboards along with snowboarding. All of these activities involve some aspect of physical danger. Also on White’s website it talks about his different involvement with sponsors and his development of a clothing line. I think that shows a level of financial risk that White is willing to take in his life. As I am going off of information online, there isn’t too much about White’s social or legal risks.
The textbook also mentions that people who are high sensation seekers look for novel experiences. White’s new trick that he performed in the Olympics might be fulfilling this aspect. Although snowboarding is not novel for him, learning the new trick is.
Another reason why sensation seekers might engage in these risky activities is based on biochemicals in their brain, mainly including have low levels of MAO. MAO is involved in “breaking down brain neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin” (pg. 380). Dopamine is related to approach behaviors and release of dopamine increases behaviors. While participating in these extreme sports, these athletes may be experiencing dopamine release, therefore increasing the likelihood they will continue with the sport.