Objectives: This study assessed whether repeated experience with a physical activity leads to increased risk taking and compared what factors (risk appraisals, emotion ratings, child attributes) predict risk taking before and after practice doing the activity.
Method: Children 7 to 12 years of age participated in an ecologically valid risk-taking task in which they chose the highest height at which to set a balance beam before and after they practiced walking across it.
Results: Prior to accumulating experience, predictors of risk taking included appraisals of risk, child attributes, and extent of past experience with the activity. After accumulating experience, risk taking increased and was predicted by behavioral attributes (low inhibitory control, high sensation seeking) and appraisal of perceived vulnerability.
Conclusion: When aiming to reduce risk taking, the best approach will be one that targets different determinants depending on children's extent of experience with the recreational activity.
2013 APA, all rights reserved