Recreational climbers are more conscientious than recreational athletes–a case control study

BACKGROUND: Physiological characteristics of climbers have been extensively studied, while the personality of climbers remains poorly understood. Personality research in sports is an established field, predicting long-term success as well as short-term behavior. The goal of our study was to examine recreational climbers’ personality and gain a better understanding of what makes them reach new heights. METHODS: We analyzed a cohort of 50 recreational climbers and 50 non-climbing athletes (control) regarding their personality characteristics. We assessed the BMI, the self-reported climbing grade, and the years of climbing experience. To evaluate the personality of recreational climbers and athletes, we used the German version of the Big Five Inventory (BFI-2), which summarizes the personality in five main categories. RESULTS: Recreational climbers scored significantly higher in conscientiousness than non-climbing athletes (p = 0.04), there was no significant difference between the other four main personality traits. Female climbers scored significantly higher in conscientiousness than male climbers (p = 0.02), while female athletes scored higher in openness than male athletes (p < 0.01). The climbing group displayed a small but significant negative correlation between conscientiousness and BMI (r = -0.39; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the personality of recreational climbers and recreational athletes differs in conscientiousness, with the climbers showing higher scores. Regarding gender, we found higher levels of conscientiousness in female climbers and higher openness in female athletes in comparison to their male counterparts. A negative correlation between BMI and conscientiousness of the climbers was detected.