Men who practice risky hobbies are more physically masculine

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate specific morphological and psychological characteristics of representatives of leisure communities focused on taking high risks, compared to the control group of men. We studied facial and body anthropometric parameters - presumable markers of prenatal androgenization and masculinization - as well as the tendency to search for sensations and aggression in race car drivers (n=36), alpinists (n=52) and students (n=56). We were also interested in possible associations between the studied morphological and psychological parameters. It was revealed that the faces of the representatives of all three groups differed significantly in the facial shape. All three groups differed from each other in the fWHR index (the bizygomatic width/the height of the middle part of the face), with the race drivers having the lowest values and the highest for the controls. Race drivers differed significantly from controls in the relative lower jaw height. The maximum average values for the handgrip strength on both hands were noted in the race drivers, and the minimum in the control. We did not find significant differences in the digit ratio on the right and left hands between the groups. The result of the analysis of psychological profiles showed that alpinists are more prone to risk and sensation seeking, as well as more sensitive to the monotonous daily activities compared to race drivers and the control group, while the maximum level of hostility was found for the control group.