High Octane Psychology

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More from DC UK:

Everyone thinks there can be only one reason to do an extreme job: money. Psychologist Shane Pressey, Partner at Human Qualities, has studied the mindset of another set of extreme job holders - championship motorcycle riders - and has found that there’s more to it than just the cash.

The Human Qualities study measured competitiveness, independence, ambition, and need for acclaim (and other traits). Not surprisingly, the motorcycle riders had high scores on competitiveness – you don’t take a corner at 120 miles per hour without wanting to win – but more interestingly they also scored highly on the ‘need for variety’ category. Maybe these adrenalin junkies simply get bored easily and need to take absurd risks just to keep themselves interested?

The constant need for change and interest may well be one of the key motivators for people to take on these extreme jobs. The independence factor is also important – the sense of being in charge of your own destiny. Whether you’re out on a fishing boat, or racing a motorcycle you need to rely on yourself first and foremost to keep safe. The Human Qualities study reveals independence as a key trait. If you rely on others too much, there’s always the chance they could let you down and with extreme professions the margin for error is nil.

One key factor behind taking an extreme job is optimism. The study revealed that those with this type of extreme job have a very high optimism rating. This is not the blind ‘keep smiling’ attitude of the grinning idiot, it’s a firmly held belief system about what causes good or bad events. These extreme job holders may simply believe that they are due some good luck, or that they can create it. As Thomas Jefferson famously said, ‘I find the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have’.

Finally let’s not discount money completely – if you could earn millions of dollars in three hours and then spend a couple of weeks in hospital, you might well be tempted. This kind of objectivity where pain is concerned is easier to understand when you learn that some involved with high octane pursuits like jockeys and motorcycle riders have learned to ‘switch off’ pain, in some cases teaching their bodies to fall unconscious before they hit a tyre wall, or are trampled by a speeding horse. Let’s face it – we would all like to be able to do that!

Stay tuned!

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