Why are some people thrill seekers?

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I have always wondered why exactly thrill seekers think how they do? Why do some people get s thrill from bungee jumping while for others this idea could make them throw up? Also are there reasons for thrill seeking or are people just born into this way of life?

This is mostly based on biological behavior and what type of personality one has. Type T personality, for example, is a personality type that takes risks. They are extroverts, but while some use their personality for good, like through business deals, others use it in the wrong way.  For example, some turn out to be sociopaths and find their thrill that way. Frank Farley explains Type T personalities deeper. This personality is based off of biological forces, like how much dopamine or testosterone one has. Dopamine and testosterone both affect how much of a thrill seeker one can be and if they live on the dangerous side or not. On the other hand it is also psychological and how the person acts and takes on challenges. These people are creative and take matters into their own hands, and as I said, extroverts.

Thrill seeking can also be based off of previous experiences we have had, like being in the Army for example. Yes, people going into the Army I feel have Type T personalities in the first place but I am talking about how they are affected after coming back from war. However, others may be going into war for external reasons, such as simply wanting to help fight for our country or maybe because veterans are in their family history. But, when these brave men and women are coming back from the thrills and scariness that come along with fighting for our country, they think it is boring at home. This leads them to take frightening risks in other ways to make up for the adrenaline loss they have.  Colonel Shahbaz wants to look further into this. He wants to measure if a predisposition to risk taking is involved in enlisting in combat and if risk takers are more likely to commit suicide or die in accidents.

In 2010 a five year study (in the link above) began to find out more about this correlation. The Army and National Institute of Mental Health looked at 90,000 soldiers already at war and 80,000-120,000 recruitments per year. They distributed a study that involved questions like if they had owned a motorcycle or if they would be interested in bungee jumping. Their family background and genetics were also looked at. 79 percent of soldiers that had committed suicide had one or none deployment. To blame war itself is not logical, because their could be so many other things involved. Chance, previous psychological issues, or problems that had to do with family, for example, could play a factor. Now, I do not know how accurate this could be given it is a quantitative experiment. There are so many participants and I am sure it was taken seriously, however so many third variables could be involved. If they had taken a smaller number of participants and looked at each separately this may have been more beneficial. The Army and others involved in the set up of this experiment, claim they need to pin point the most common actions of adrenaline and let everyone know of safer things to do and how to handle their adrenaline loss.

Thrill seekers find pleasure and a sense of calmness when risk taking. Chris Carr, a sport psychologist, studied skiers that went racing down a hill at 70 mph and divers that were diving from 32 feet above water. The athletes did not mention the thrill or risk behaviors they were taking, but more the sense of calmness they felt when taking the risk.

While these studies could be convincing, I believe there needs to be more of a meta-analysis of smaller studies done. It could possibly involve how the brain is working while these people are taking risks. Or comparing how thrill seekers feel when riding a roller coaster, to people that do not enjoy risk behaviors.

One thought on “Why are some people thrill seekers?

  1. Elyssa Paige Woods

    I for one am not a thrill seeker at all. Only about 6 months ago did I get over my life long fear of roller coasters. An article in the New York Times states that, “physical extremes of a roller coaster ride prime a neural network at the base of the brain called the reticular activating system, which in turn heightens the level of activation throughout the rest of the brain, Dr. Farley states.” Personally, thrill seeking does not interest me as I have no desire to go through my fears.

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