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The Why Factor: Why do People Take Risks?

Why do People Take Risks?

26/06/2015

BBC World Service - The Why Factor, Why do People Take Risks?

Why do some people expose themselves to risks and why are we so bad at assessing them?

Why do some people voluntarily expose themselves to risks? And why are so many of us bad at assessing them? Mike Williams speaks to three risk-takers to find out.

Some people actively embrace risk by jumping out of aeroplanes, scuba-diving or motor-racing. But we all face risks every day just by eating, drinking, walking and driving – simply going about our daily lives carries all sorts of unseen threats. And yet for some reason we often misperceive these risks. We are not very good at calculating things on which our lives may depend. Why is that? Risk-averse Mike Williams speaks to some risk-takers to find out.

(Photo credit: Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty Images)

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