Full throttle: are motorcyclists as risk-taking as we think?

Abstract

Background: Motorcycling, whether thought of as a leisure activity, hobby, or social activity, can add quality to one's life. Being a member of a motorcycle club may promote a sense of community, while motorcycling itself may increase feelings of awe and joy. When conceptualized as part of one's social identity, motorcycling tends to be associated with an unfavourable image or stereotype, wherein motorcyclists' personalities are characterized as rebellious, prone to risk-taking behaviour, and masculine (regardless of the motorcyclist's gender). The accuracy of this stereotype is unclear, particularly as perceived by non-motorcyclists, such as car drivers. Accordingly, the overall purpose of this exploratory study was to describe the personality profile of motorcyclists from a basic trait perspective (Big 5) and assess its congruence with non-motorcyclists' perceptions of the "typical" motorcyclist's personality.

Participants and procedure: A cross-sectional online survey (N = 376) consisting of motorcyclists (n = 194) and car drivers (n = 182) collected information on personality traits (self-report or perceived), riding behaviour (motorcyclists only), and well-being.

Results: The results show that car drivers perceive motorcyclists to be more disinhibited, less open, more neurotic, less agreeable, and less conscientious than motorcyclists self-report.

Conclusions: Car drivers' perceptions of motorcyclists seem to be more negative than their actual personalities, suggesting an unfavourable judgement of that community.