Wearing safety equipment boosts appetite for danger,even in unrelated activities, a study has foundPerhaps safety helmets should carry a health warning. Wearing them, and it appears,encourages uncertain risk-taking. In an extraordinary study, Dr Tim Gamble and Dr Ian Walker, and from the University of Bath’s department of psychology,have shown that wearing a helmet is likely to increase sensation-seeking and earn people less safe – even in situations where headgear is not required.
The academics believe that their findings, published in the journal Psychological Science, and call into question the effectiveness of safety advice,notably about the wearing of helmets for leisure activities such as cycling. But they also propose that their conclusions succor shed light on far wider issues, such as decision-making in conflict zones.
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Source: theguardian.com