High-Risk Behavior: Who's Engaging in It?

Abstract

Why are people engaging in dangerous behaviors, putting themselves and society at risk, despite the detrimental consequences? I propose that with more years of education completed, an individual is less likely to participate in high-risk behaviors; and also, that those who lived in a two-parent household at age 16 are less likely to engage in these behaviors as well. In this research we analyze 345, unmarried respondents, from the 2004 General Social Survey, all whom have answered questions about their educational attainment, strength in religion, familial formation at age 16, employment status and age through an interview process. The data rejects both hypotheses: those with more years of education completed, and who are employed, are likely to visit a bar more often than those with fewer years completed, and there is not any statistically significant relationships to support that those who lived in a two-parent household at age 16 are less likely to participate in high-risk behavior. There is a strong relationship among the drug variables, implying that respondents who are using drugs are typically using more than one. This research shows significant relationships between these variables, but there is a need for future research.