Modeling risk-taking from different measurement instruments

Abstract

Risk-taking researches have presented different forms of construction measurements. First, we aimed at evaluating the evidence of validity of the instruments/methods based on external criteria by contrasting the groups on their gender under the three different risk-taking measures: a domain-specific scale and two decision-making tasks in risky situations (Driving a Car game and card games). After that, we aimed at constructing a risk-taking model from the analysis of the relationship between the instruments/ methods. The 211 participants (121 women; M = 21.60 years old; SD = 2.19; and 91 men; M = 21.46 years old; SD = 2.0) answered the research in a single experimental session with an average duration of 30 min. Individually, the instruments presented criterion validity for contrasting groups. There was no correlation between the scores obtained for the different instruments in the risk-taking model. In conclusion, the data was designed in a three-factor structure indicating the multidimensionality of the risk-taking construct.