title: Risk taking in avalanche terrain: a study of the human factor contribution.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discover possible associations between the human factors and avalanche incidents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-report, intercept, and Web-based, 1-year retrospective, cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mountain Equipment Co-op stores in Calgary and Vancouver, Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  People shopping at the store and who had entered avalanche terrain in the past 12 months were invited to complete the survey (n = 447).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sex, age, sport activity, days of exposure, years of experience, socioeconomic status, level of training, risk propensity, and motivation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experiencing an avalanche incident.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women and those traveling with women were less likely to experience an avalanche incident [odds ratio (OR) = 0.45; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.21-0.96]. Those with the most training were more likely to report experiencing an avalanche incident (OR = 6.86; 95% CI, 2.37-19.83), but this difference was attenuated (OR = 2.25) and not statistically significant (95% CI, 0.57-8.81) after adjustment for exposure. Experience was not found to be a factor. Being motivated to seek intense experiences was found to be a factor (OR = 2.19; 95% CI, 1.03-4.66), whereas being motivated to create memorable experiences was protective (OR = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.10-0.86).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that people exposing themselves to avalanche risk do so to satisfy inherited and learned motivational needs and that some motivations are associated with higher or lower risk taking than others. Training appears to be exploited so as to increase access to these benefits rather than reduce risk. Within this risk/reward paradigm, risk taking among men is moderated by the presence of a woman in the group.
authors.affiliation: Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. asole@ucalgary.ca
authors.forename: Albert E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Sole
authors.forename: Carolyn A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Emery
authors.forename: Brent E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Hagel
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Morrongiello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055875:Avalanches / Q000401:mortality*; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012201:Reward; D012309:Risk-Taking; D055815:Young Adult