Stories of young college students dying or severely injuring themselves as a result of thrill-seeking endeavors are not at all uncommon. This year, news broadcasts of tragic ends to the "subway surfing" game cast a light on the apparent need of young people to endanger themselves for sport.
According to experts, risky pastimes and seemingly unwise ventures have specific appeal to adolescents and young adults, such as high school and college students, for a few reasons.
Dr. Craig Colder, an assistant psychology professor at the University at Buffalo who is conducting research on impulses in adolescents, said this age group enjoys dangerous games in particular because their developing brains experience brief decreases in positive arousal, and risk taking activities, which are exciting and thrilling, increase positive arousal.
Terice Barnett, a junior mathematics major, said though she does not risk limb or life, she has participated in some not-so-wise activities to alleviate boredom.
"Me and a few friends were watching Fear Factor my freshman year and got the brilliant idea to have a Dorm Fear Factor of our own," she said with a chuckle. "We held Listerine in our mouths to see who could hold it the longest, mine slipped down my throat. Then we got a gallon of water to see who could drink the most without bursting. My belly was bloated for like three days and I got sick."
While Listerine and water games hardly seem dangerous and left Barnett with only a sore throat and an upset stomach, similar impulses to create excitement have left many other young people with much to regret.
Frank Napolski, a sophomore media study major, said he participated in risky behavior in high school like surfing on the roof of cars, until the near death of one of his friends made him reevaluate his actions.
"It was all for attention," said Napolski. "Or just to say that you did it and to brag to other people."
According to Colder, aside from debilitating physical injuries, those participating in dangerous activities are also at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder after the serious injury or death of others.
Napolski said his is a lesson well learned.
"There's no good in doing anything like that," he said.
Some students, like Mark Critelli, a first year graduate student majoring in foreign language education, believe that these games - as hazardous as they have proven to be - might stem from trite sources.
"They get that from the movies," said Critelli. "I don't see the purpose of it. That's dangerous stuff."
According to Colder, new research shows that risk taking has evolutionary significance because it aids in the transition from dependence to independence.
"Risk taking may have been functional because it would have avoided inbreeding and increased reproductive success in a competitive reproductive environment," Colder said.
Though experts believe the risk-seeking aspects of the young psyche might be useful, those involved in safety see only the negative effects of this sometimes problematic inclination.
According to John Grela, director of Public Safety, though very dangerous games like car surfing are seen frequently high school aged individuals, drinking games are the most common dangerous activity in which university students participate.
"They're very subtle," Grela said of the drinking games. "People don't realize that they're drinking to the extent that they're hurting themselves."
Participating in dangerous games may land you in trouble with the law, resulting in being charged with assault, or if there is a death, criminal negligent homicide, Grela said. He recommends playing it safe around those seemingly harmless drinking games, as they can escalate to perilous levels.
Though many have been harmed in accidents that resulted from thrill seeking, some students like Moriah Hampton, a second year English graduate student, believe there are places and situations in which young people can relieve themselves of the risk taking itch, like in the sports arena where Hampton said she finds extreme sports interesting "if only to watch the athletes testing their limits."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
