Understanding Action and Adventure Sports Participation—An Ecological Dynamics Perspective

Abstract

Previous research has considered action and adventure sports using a variety of associated terms and definitions which has led to confusing discourse and contradictory research findings. Traditional narratives have typically considered participation exclusively as the pastime of young people with abnormal characteristics or personalities having unhealthy and pathological tendencies to take risks because of the need for thrill, excitement or an adrenaline ‘rush’. Conversely, recent research has linked even the most extreme forms of action and adventure sports to positive physical and psychological health and well-being outcomes. Here, we argue that traditional frameworks have led to definitions, which, as currently used by researchers, ignore key elements constituting the essential merit of these sports. In this paper, we suggest that this lack of conceptual clarity in understanding cognitions, perception and action in action and adventure sports requires a comprehensive explanatory framework, ecological dynamics which considers person-environment interactions from a multidisciplinary perspective. Action and adventure sports can be fundamentally conceptualized as activities which flourish through creative exploration of novel movement experiences, continuously expanding and evolving beyond predetermined environmental, physical, psychological or sociocultural boundaries. The outcome is the emergence of a rich variety of participation styles and philosophical differences within and across activities. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (a) to point out some limitations of existing research on action and adventure sports; (b) based on key ideas from emerging research and an ecological dynamics approach, to propose a holistic multidisciplinary model for defining and understanding action and adventure sports that may better guide future research and practical implications.

Understanding nature sports: a participant centred perspective and its implications for the design and facilitating of learning and performance

“…Equally, nature sports do not easily comply with a modernist view of sport that originates in western Christian philosophies. Instead, nature sports are perhaps best allied with the original appreciation of sport as pastime and recreation (Immonen et al, 2017) and a post-modernist perspective on sport as multi-faceted and including dimensions of self-development, recreation, social, historical, political and cultural discourses, and personal interpretation.…”

“…The lack of rules and regulations predetermined by a governing body or association also means that performance is most often determined by collaboration with peers and cultural perspectives that stem from within the grassroots of nature sports. This seems to also encourage evolution, creativity and adaptability while placing equal value on skilful performance and exploration of the potential for a given activity (Immonen et al 2017). Nature sports from this perspective have been identified as ideal mediums for the development of subsidiary aspects such as health, community development and even peace.…”

Pediatric and adolescent injury in skateboarding

“…mountain boarding, longboarding, street and freestyle) (Hunter, 2012;McKenzie, Fletcher, Nelson, Roberts & Klein, 2016). Like all adventure and extreme sports (AESs) skateboarding has not been constrained by the structures that guide traditional sports, and has developed organically and often chaotically to become a worldwide phenomenon (Immonen et al, 2017;Kellet & Russell, 2009). The traditional notion that skateboarding was for young male hedonists is evolving and the sport is becoming more gender balanced, involving older participants, and less defined by hedonism and risk.…”

Why Do You Ride?: A Characterization of Mountain Bikers, Their Engagement Methods, and Perceived Links to Mental Health and Well-Being

“…The International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) estimated that the yearly participation figures for mountain biking in the United Kingdom was ~5 million in 2005 (Corporate Research Associates, 2010 , p. 41); having grown considerably in popularity over the last 30 years (Moularde and Weaver, 2016 ; Poulson, 2016 ). Mountain biking has been given an assortment of labels; for example: a lifestyle sport (McCormack, 2017 ); a serious-leisure activity “on the hard-soft adventure continuum” (Taylor, 2010 , p. 270); and an action and adventure sport (Immonen et al, 2017 ). Downhill mountain biking has been defined as an extreme sport (Becker et al, 2013 ) and an extreme sport subculture (Hagen, 2013 ).…”

“…Participants may still experience fear as they test their mental and physical capabilities in challenging situations (Dodson, 1996 ; Lyng, 2005 ); but the fear could be understood as a sign that one is “pushing up against limitations and breaking throughboundaries” (Willig, 2008 , p. 696), as opposed to recklessness. Contemporary literature has also included studies on the meaningfulness of extreme sports and links to psychological well-being (e.g., Willig, 2008 ; Brymer and Oades, 2009 ; Taylor, 2010 ; Cycling UK, 2017 ; Immonen et al, 2017 ). Evidence is also building to suggest that mainstream interventions for mental health should include extreme and adventure sports (Clough et al, 2016 ).…”