Risk-Taking in Sports: Emotion Regulation and Decision-Making in Extreme Activities
Adolescents engage in sports for many reasons, but some individuals are particularly drawn to high-risk sports, actively seeking extreme experiences and challenges. In a world that increasingly values safety, the choice to deliberately put oneself in dangerous situations may seem paradoxical. However, recent research suggests that participating in high-risk sports may serve as a means of emotion self-regulation rather than simply a desire for thrill-seeking.
Key Research Questions:
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How does risk-taking behavior in sports relate to decision-making? This project aims to explore how individuals who participate in high-risk sports make decisions, especially in the face of danger.
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Can high-risk sports serve as a form of emotion regulation? We investigate whether extreme sports help individuals manage their emotions, providing an outlet for regulating stress and achieving emotional balance.
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What is the role of “flow” in high-risk sports? The project also examines the experience of "flow"—a state of deep focus and immersion—in high-risk sports, and how it may contribute to both risk-taking behavior and emotion regulation.
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Through this research, we seek to understand the psychological mechanisms that drive participation in high-risk sports and how these activities may enhance emotional well-being, decision-making skills, and the pursuit of flow in challenging environments.