The popular leisure sports of skiing, horseriding and motorcycling carry considerable risks to health, or even life, to those engaging in these activities; consequently, they have been largely dominated by men whom our culture encourages to take risks. The risky leisure sports of skiing, horseriding and motorcycling have attracted little prior research attention from social scientists. Evidence suggesting that women dominate in the participation of statistically much riskier leisure horse riding has motivated a sociological study. A mixed methods design, based on semi-structured interviews and a self completion questionnaire survey with adult male and female British skiers, horse riders and motorcyclists, provide analysis of three themes. Belonging, risk and wellbeing are examined phenomenologically through a realist social constructionist lens to determine what and how personal needs are fulfilled through practising their particular sport. The research questions running throughout the thesis are: What factors explain the participation and engagement of participants in risky leisure sports? Does gender account for any different experiences between male and female participants? Why do people engage in risky leisure sports and what do they get out of it? Findings indicate that, contrary to its inherently risky nature, men and particularly women within and across all three sports feel increased self-confidence and enhanced global self-esteem when performing their sport, which often positively influences their everyday lives. Furthermore, participants attain similar feelings of 'being-in-the-moment' a state usually attributable to much riskier so-called 'adrenaline' sports and a central feature of mindfulness and positive mental health. Finally, I include a brief analysis into the impact of COVID-19 as a new risk factor for the participants of these sports.

Details

Subject

Gender studies

Classification

0733: Gender studies

Identifier / keyword

835072

URL

http://repository.essex.ac.uk/30870/

Title

'If You're a Bit of a Risk-Taker You Don't See the Dangers' : Exploring Gender Differences in Leisure Sport Risk-Taking

Author

Eade, Vincent William

Publication year

2021

Degree date

2021

School code

0873

Source

DAI-C 83/5(E), Dissertation Abstracts International

Place of publication

Ann Arbor

Country of publication

United States

University/institution

University of Essex (United Kingdom)

University location

England

Degree

Ph.D.

Source type

Dissertation or Thesis

Language

English

Document type

Dissertation/Thesis

Note

Bibliographic data provided by EThOS, the British Library’s UK thesis service. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.835072

Dissertation/thesis number

28932335

ProQuest document ID

2593921327

Document URL

https://ezproxy.snhu.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fdissertations-theses%2Fif-youre-bit-risk-taker-you-dont-see-dangers%2Fdocview%2F2593921327%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D3783

Go to Library Record

http://repository.essex.ac.uk/30870/

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Database

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global