EN
The aim of this study was to present temperamental characteristics of men practicing high risk sports, to determine their differentiation according to sport discipline and to find the relationships between temperament and sensation seeking. The research involved 158 males aged 17 to 45, practising recreational high risk sports, namely: parachuting (n=98); wakeboarding (n=30); snowboarding (n=30). The group of parachutists was divided into two sub-groups – experts (n=50) and novice (n=48) based on the number of jumps executed. 'The Formal Characteristics of Behavior – Temperament Inventory' (FCB-TI) and Polish version of 'Sensation Seeking Scale' (SSS-IV) were applied. Men practicing high risk sports were featured by high level of activity and briskness and presented temperament structure with great possibilities of stimulation processing. They were not homogenous group, snowboarders and wakeboarders were characterized by stronger sensation seeking, higher level of activity and emotional reactivity than parachutists. Temperamental selection was not observed among parachutists – the number of jumps executed did not differentiate the temperament and sensation seeking characteristics. The relationships between temperament and sensation seeking were determined. In factorial analysis three factors were obtained: active sensation seeking, psychic resistance and need for physical and intellectual stimulation.