Item: Direct and Indirect Avalanche Experiences Among Backcountry Skiers: Relationships with Risk Perception and Use of Safety Gear
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Title: Direct and Indirect Avalanche Experiences Among Backcountry Skiers: Relationships with Risk Perception and Use of Safety Gear
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop 2016 Proceedings, Breckenridge, CO, USA
Authors:
- Davide Marengo [ Fondazione Montagna sicura, Courmayeur, Italy ] [ Department of Social sciences and Humanities, University of Aosta Valley, Aosta, Italy ] [ Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy ]
- Paola Dellavedova [ Fondazione Montagna sicura, Courmayeur, Italy ]
- Maria G. Monaci [ Department of Social sciences and Humanities, University of Aosta Valley, Aosta, Italy ]
- Renato Miceli [ Department of Social sciences and Humanities, University of Aosta Valley, Aosta, Italy ]
Date: 2016-10-02
Abstract: A relevant factor that may affect risk perception and behaviors related to natural hazard is personal experience. Findings on recreational sports (e.g., scuba diving, rock climbing) indicate that individuals engaging in high-risk recreation tend to exhibit decreases in sensitivity to risk over time, likely due to habituation effects and changes in self-efficacy and competence. Could these results also apply to winter sports performed in avalanche terrain? The present study aimed at exploring the relationship between experiences with avalanche accidents and two measures of avalanche risk perception: fear of and perceived probability of accident involvement. We also investigated relationship with use of safety gear (avalanche beacon, probe, and shovel, and airbag device). Study sample consisted of 214 backcountry skiers from Northern Italy (84% male; age: M = 39.55, SD = 10.07), of which 15.4% reported personal involvement in at least 1 avalanche accident resulting in burial or injury (direct experience), while 31.8% reported witnessing one or more avalanche accidents involving other recreationists (indirect experience). Results indicated direct involvement in avalanche accidents to negatively correlate with recreationists' fear of avalanche accidents and positively correlate with their perceived probability of accident involvement. Use of standard safety gear positively correlated with previous indirect avalanche experiences, while participant's direct involvement in avalanche accidents correlated with use of the airbag device. Combined with previous findings on general population, the impact of avalanche experiences on risk perception and behaviors appear to be dependent on the degree of directness of such experiences.
Object ID: ISSW16_P2.10.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s):
Keywords: avalanche experience, backcountry skiing, risk perception
Page Number(s): 754-758
Subjects: safety gear avalanche risk backcountry skiing
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