It has been estimated that in 1993 in Australia alone, about 4500 people went skydiving for the first time and nearly 12,000 made their first tandem jump clipped to an experienced jumper (Scott, 1994). What is it that makes people put themselves at risk by taking part in dangerous sports like skydiving? After all, even at the top level, the most highly skilled can suffer awful injuries or death, as witnessed by the recent deaths of downhil\ skier Ulrike Maier, radical wave surfer Mark Foo, and Formula One motor racing driver Ayrton Senna.