Background: Risk-taking behavior encompasses actions that heighten the likelihood of harm, whereas risk assessment involves identifying and evaluating potential hazards. Understanding psychological factors such as personality, cognitive style, and emotional intelligence elucidates individual differences in how risks are assessed and acted upon.
Objectives: This study aims to explore gender differences in personality traits, emotional intelligence, and cognitive styles, examine the association between the variables and identify predictors of risk assessment and risk-taking behavior.
Method: A sample of 130 adults aged 21-30 years (62 males, 68 females) from Kolkata, India, was recruited using a purposive sampling technique. Participants completed standardized measures to assess personality traits (Big Five Inventory), emotional intelligence (self-report emotional intelligence tests), cognitive style (cognitive style indicators), and risk assessment and risk-taking behavior(RT-18). Independent samples t-tests, correlation, and multiple regression analyses were performed for analysis of the data.
Results: Findings revealed significant gender differences in extraversion, neuroticism, risk-taking behaviour, and risk assessment. Correlation analysis reported that agreeableness, emotional intelligence, and the planning and knowing cognitive styles were negatively associated with risk assessment. Neuroticism was negatively associated with risk-taking behaviour, whereas the creating cognitive style was positively correlated with risk-taking behavior. Regression results showed that neuroticism, emotional intelligence, planning, and knowing cognitive styles have emerged as significant predictors of risk-taking behaviour and explained 6.4%, 5.3%, 9%, and 3.6% of the variance, respectively. Agreeableness and cognitive style were predicted to influence risk assessment, explaining 8.9% and 11.9% of the variance, respectively.
Conclusion: The study highlights significant gender differences and identifies key personality traits and cognitive styles that influence risk-taking behaviour and risk assessment. Notably, neuroticism, emotional intelligence, and specific cognitive styles emerged as significant predictors, explaining meaningful variance in these behaviors.