The dark side of rituals: lower risk estimation and riskier behavior (Symposium: Psychological aspects of risk perception and behavior)

People use rituals - a meaningful sequence of actions - both in every day routine (e.g., handshake) and in specific events (e.g., wedding). Among others, rituals seem to decrease perceptions of stress and threat, and to... [ view full abstract ]

People use rituals - a meaningful sequence of actions - both in every day routine (e.g., handshake) and in specific events (e.g., wedding). Among others, rituals seem to decrease perceptions of stress and threat, and to increase perceptions of control, power, and capability. Accordingly, people use the positive effects of rituals to focus on tasks and enhance their performance (e.g., in sports). However, on the down side it seems reasonable that rituals alter the perception of risk relevant information, which should result in lower risk perception and riskier behavior. Since rituals are paramount it is important to explore the effects of rituals on risk perception and behavior. In Study 1 participants estimated the likelihood of 22 different risks. First analyses indicate that participants risk estimations were lower after conducting a ritual compared to participant who did not perform a ritual. In Study 2 participants believed that they would ride a board with 4 totally rotatable wheels down a sloping pavement. The distance participants agreed to ride the board and the general risk perception of the task served as dependent variables. Distance and risk perceptions were measured after explaining the task (t1) and after taking seat on the board (t2). The ritual manipulation (ritual conducted vs. ritual imagined vs. no ritual) took place between the two measurements. For participants, who conducted a ritual, results showed an increase in intended behavior and a decrease in risk perception from t1 to t2, but no changes for the group, which imagined the ritual, and for the control group.