The purpose of the present study was to establish whether sensation seeking, achievement, and social desirability are imp01iant motives for participation in the high risk sport, rock climbing, and for the adventure tourism activity, bungy jumping. In addition, the study sought to establish whether the decision to bungy jump is made on impulse, or after careful consideration, and whether any other possible motives exist for high risk sport and adventure tourism participation.

Thirty rock climbers (21 males and 9 females), thirty bungy jumpers (18 males and 12 females), and thirty control subjects (13 males and 17 females) completed a background information questionnaire containing demographic information, a specific impulsive question, and a four-point Likert scale containing reasons for participation or non-participation; Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking Scale, Form V; Nygard and Gjesme's Achievement Motives Scale; and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale.

ANOVA results suggest that sensation seeking is an important motive for bungy jumping and rock climbing (especially the thrill seeking and adventure dimension, and the experience seeking dimension), but that there is no difference between these two activities in this motive. The achievement motive was found to be particularly important for rock climbing, but only moderately so for bungy jumping. The need to be socially desirable was not found to be an important motive for either bungy jumping or rock climbing participation, although results from the Likert scale, and individual feedback suggest that more research needs to further investigate the social desirability motive.

Results from analysis to the impulsive question indicate that, in general, the decision to bungy jump is made on impulse, while the decision to participate in rock climbing is made with some thought to other factors. Other motivations for high risk sport and adventure tourism that were encountered m the study which should be further investigated, include enjoying the environment; fitness; interest in the technology; helping to achieve other goals for related disciplines; improving holiday quality; and curiosity. Future research investigating the motivations of other adventure tourism activities in relation to gender, age, and cultural differences would be useful.