OVERCOMING A RISKY BEHAVIOUR
RISKY BEHAVIOUR :
Refers to 'one's purposive participation in some form of behavior that involves potential
negative consequences or losses (social, monetary, interpersonal) as well as perceived positive
consequences or gains'
Some risky behaviour is normal and part of life. However, there is a difference between normal,
experimental behaviour, and behaviours which place ourselves or others at risk of harm.
WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN?
Adolescence is known to be a peak time for risky behaviors including reckless driving, delinquent
crime, unprotected sex, biking without a helmet, and experimental drug use. Results of an
international study of adolescents from 11 countries found that adolescent risk-taking increased to
a peak at about age 19 and then gradually decreased during the mid to late 20s
WHAT ARE IT’S CAUSES?
Psychologists have identified five risk domains for individual behaviour:
• Financial – e.g. risky financial investment, gambling, impulsive spending or over-spending
money on unwanted things.
• Health – e.g. unprotected sex, smoking, misuse of drugs and alcohol, drinking and driving,
speeding
• Social - e.g. confrontational behaviours, looking for a fight and also being depsressed led to risky
behaviours
• Recreational - e.g. adrenaline-seeking behaviours, such as drag racing, or extreme sports
• Ethical – e.g. personal dishonesty at home or at work, ignoring responsibilities and being in back
to back action against one’s own society.
Some about it :-
Psychological literature suggests that risk taking may be linked to personality traits. On personality
tests, risk-takers have been shown to score high on impulsivity and sensation seeking, and low on
conscientiousness and self-control. They also tend to score high on the tendency to have negative
emotions, such as anger and jealousy. The extent to which responses are innate, or influenced by
external factors Some studies suggest that impulsivity and high sensation-seeking may be genetic.
Geneticists have linked genes in the dopamine system to drug and alcohol dependence. Attention
Deficit Disorder has been also been linked to lowered levels of self-control and risky behavior.
Depression has been shown to correlate with risk-taking. Confidence and self-esteem, and what
psychologists call self-efficacy, may also play a role.
Age also plays a role. Risky behaviour tends to be far more prevalent in young people. Our normal
curiosity and desire for experimentation is stronger when we’re young. We’re also far less aware of
the potential consequences of our actions. As we accumulate bad experiences, we lose our sense of
invulnerability and become more cautious.
MEASURING METHODS
•Sex
Across multiple studies with multiple measures of risk-taking behavior and risk-taking propensity,
males engage in riskier behaviors/decisions than females
•Depressive symptoms and disorders
Increased depressive symptoms are associated with a number of risky behaviors, including drug and alcohol use
and misuse
•Peer pressure
Negative or positive energy coming from relatives like frfiends homies and other peoples at same
ideologies with reference of life
Consequences of risky behavior :
When people have risky, they engage in behaviors that could lead to negative consequences such
as physical injury, social rejection, legal troubles, or financial losses. Behaviors that are more
likely to lead to such outcomes are considered riskier than behaviors that are less likely to lead to
such outcomes.
And also Risk behaviours tend to 'cluster' and participation in multiple risk behaviours is
associated with a range of negative outcomes such as low educational attainment, being bullied
and emotional health problems.
Ways to help people to manage risky behaviour include:
• Working with the person to explore the values, beliefs, attitudes and experiences that may
underpin their behaviours.
• Working to improve self-esteem and self-efficacy, giving people more control over the choices
they make.
• Helping the person develop a positive, future-oriented focus, and recognition of the extent to
which risky behaviours undermine future-oriented hopes and goals.
• Encouraging them to join a support group to share experiences and coping strategies with
people in a similar situation. This could be a group that meets in person, or an online / virtual
group.
• Helping them find ways to channel their energy into constructive activities
Sources:
Risk-Taking Differences Across the Adult Life Span: A Question of Age and Domain by Jonathan
J Rolison, Yaniv Hanoch, Stacey Wood, Pi0Ju Liu,
The Journals of Gerontology: by prof. Mings E Stork Series B, Volume 69, Issue 6, 1 November
2014, Pages 870–880,
Melissa T. Buelow, in Risky Decision Making in Psychological Disorders, 2020
