Instrumental vs. stimulating risk: the dual psychological nature of risk-taking behavior in combat sports

To win in competition, athletes are inevitably in a position to display certain risky behaviors. The current research examines risk-taking behavior (instrumental risk and stimulating risk) in combat sport athletes, according to gender and sports performances. Also, it aims to verify the role that competitive experience has on athletes’ risk-taking behavior. In combat sports, athletes that take calculated and deliberate risks in order to accomplish a certain objective, like winning a competition or obtaining an advantage over rival, are engaging in instrumental risk-taking behaviors, while stimulating risk-taking behavior is impulsive, uncontrollable and short-term oriented. Seventy-one athletes were enrolled in the study, aged between 19 and 35 (Mage = 24.4). The Romanian adaptation of the Makarowski’s Stimulating and Instrumental Risk Questionnaire for martial artists was used. Analysis of Variance showed that experts/elite athletes registered significantly higher scores for instrumental risk, compared to novices. No gender-related differences in terms of risk-taking behavior were emphasized. Moreover, using linear regression analysis, competitive experience was found to predict combat sport athletes’ level of instrumental risk, but not stimulating risk. Furthermore, athletes having more competitive experience take more calculated risks, rational processes and the ability to analyze situations dominating.