Risk-Taking Self-Check Surveys
(Using the Domain-Specific Risk-Taking Scale (DOSPERT), by Weber, Blais, & Betz, 2002; Blais & Weber, 2006)
Introduction
To help you consider your risk-taking comfort level and tendencies, complete the following brief surveys from the Domain-Specific Risk-Taking (DOSPERT) scale (Weber, Blais, & Betz, 2002). The questions will ask how likely you are to engage in behaviors often considered risky in several domains. You will be given a total score which gives you a rating for the overall likelihood of risk-taking in each domain and to mean scores for non-entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs from one study (Curry, 2014).
As you consider your risk-taking tendencies, consider also that a major factor in uncertainty for many people is uncertainty and negative consequences. As you reflect, remember that uncertainty and negative consequences may sometimes be reduced by increasing knowledge and skill and consider the potential rewards, their likelihood, and their value to you.
Information on the Domain-Specific Risk-Taking Scale
The Domain-Specific Risk-Taking (DOSPERT) scale, was developed by Weber, Blais, and Betz (2002). Individuals completing the full scale rate their likelihood of engaging in risky activities by answering questions in five domains: Social, Recreational, Financial, Health/Safety, and Ethical. Each domain can be scored and evaluated separately because individuals tend to vary in their risk-taking in various domains (Blais & Weber, 2006). The scale has shown reliability and validity in a number of studies and its factor structure has been replicated in multiple settings and populations (Blais & Weber, 2006). The original survey had 40 questions and was shortened to 30 (Blais & Weber, 2006). The three short surveys presented here represent 3 domains from the shorter survey, with 6 questions each.
The DOSPERT is used here as a self-reflection tool. However, those completing these surveys can compare their results to the key and to mean scores from a study comparing entrepreneurs (independently own and actively manage a business) to non-entrepreneurs (Curry, 2014). The study found entrepreneurs had higher mean risk-taking scores than non-entrepreneurs. The three domains that were most strongly correlated with entrepreneurship were Social (p < 0.05), Recreational (p < 0.01), and Financial (p < 0.05), which are the domains presented above.
References:
Blais, A.-R., & Weber, E. U. (2006). A Domain-Specific Risk-Taking (DOSPERT) scale for adult populations. Judgment and Decision Making, 1, 33-47.
Curry JG. (2014). A Closer Look at Entrepreneurship and Attitude toward Risk. MA Thesis. Graduate College of Bowling Green State University.
Weber, E. U., Blais, A.-R., & Betz, N. (2002). A domain-specific risk-attitude scale: Measuring risk perceptions and risk behaviors. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 15, 263-290.
