Risk taking from the participant's perspective: the case of driving and accident risk.
Although perceived health risk plays a prominent role in theories of health behavior, its empirical role in risk taking is less clear. In Study 1 (N = 129), 2 measures of drivers' risk-taking behavior were found to be unrelated to self-estimates of accident concern but to be related to self-ratings of driving skill and the perceived thrill of driving. In Study 2 (N = 405), out of a wide range of potential influences, accident concern had the weakest relationship with risk taking. The authors concluded that although health risk is a key feature in many theories of health behavior and a central focus for researchers and policy makers, it may not be such a prominent factor for those actually taking the risk.
School of Psychology, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom. f.p.mckenna@reading.ac.uk
Frank P
FP
McKenna
Mark S
MS
Horswill
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom