Psychology and the extreme sport experience

Abstract

The term ‘extreme sports’ has become synonymous with a variety of nontraditional adventure experiences. Terminologies such as ‘whiz sports’, ‘free sports’, ‘adventure sports’, ‘lifestyle sports’, ‘action sports’, ‘alternative sports’ and ‘extreme sports’ are often used interchangeably. One disadvantage of this proliferation is that accompanying definitions are imprecise or misleading. For example, white-water kayaking on grade two of the universal grading system can feel exciting and adventurous, but the results of an accident or mistake would be relatively innocuous in comparison to the consequences of an accident or mistake on grade six water. At the highest levels of difficulty, death is a real possibility. In addition to these semantic issues, theories used to explain extreme sport participation typically portray participants as risk or adrenaline seekers. Theorists have explained participants’ motivations through a range of analytical frameworks, including edgework, sensation seeking, psychoanalysis, neotribe or subcultural formation and masculinity theory. These risk-focused accounts are often formulated by non-participants and supported by theory-driven methodologies that may not fully capture the actual lived experiences of extreme sport participants. Problems with traditional approaches to studying extreme sports include (1) research revealing characteristics and statistics that are incongruent with traditional risk and sensation-seeking accounts, (2) a myopic focus on risk-seeking that largely ignores other key motives and benefits and (3) theory-driven perspectives that do not fully reflect the lived experiences of participants. In this chapter, the authors explore the psychology of extreme sports with the aim of illuminating additional perspectives on extreme sport experiences and motivations beyond risk and sensation seeking.