Personality Hardiness at Different Levels of Competitive Motorcycling

Abstract

This study assessed the personality construct of hardiness within elite, male, full-time, professional motorcycle racers (n = 32) from the Federation Internationale de Motorcyclisme (F.I.M) Moto G. P Championship (n = 16) and World Endurance Championship (n = 16), as well as club level motorcycling competitors (n = 31). All riders completed Nowack's Cognitive Hardiness Inventory (1990), either before the start of official qualification during race week (elite professional riders), or prior to a club weekend meet (club racers). There was a significant group difference on hardiness. In the select group of professional riders, the top 10% performing, elite riders had a significantly higher mean score on hardiness than the bottom 10% of performers, providing further evidence of high hardiness scores amongst elite performers.