Working on Emotions as a Part of Climbing and Mountaineering Cover Image

Praca nad emocjami jako element aktywności górskiej i wspinaczkowej
Working on Emotions as a Part of Climbing and Mountaineering

Author(s): Anna Kacperczyk
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: Uniwersytet Łódzki - Wydział Ekonomiczno-Socjologiczny
Keywords: emotions; situation of action; climbing; mountaineering; anxiety; fear; disturbing emotions; climber’s identity; physical hazards; social world

Summary/Abstract: In the article I rise the problem of emotions experienced by climbers in the situation of climbing and mountaineering. I consider emotions not as an individual feature or tendency to experience some emotional states but as particular sensations experienced during climbing activity. The subject of my interest are emotions that inseparably accompany climbing action, substantially determine this action. These emotions affect the results of climbing activity and remain one of the most important conditions of it. I try to review emotions experienced by participants of climbing situation, and then, I concentrate on particular emotions – anxiety and fear – directly connected with climbing activity. I discuss fear of heights, fear of coming off the wall and fear of “flights,” and the ways of getting control over them. In the climbing world “strong psyche” is perceived as a positive feature of participant. I present motives of climbing activity appealing distinctly to the emotions and discuss impact of real physical threats encountered by climbers in the rock and mountain areas during climbing activity. Bringing up the problem of unwanted and “disturbing emotions” that hamper conducting actions and make climbing more difficult, simultaneously, I treat those emotions as an “indicator” of “getting mature” and becoming a mountaineer. The processes of forming climber’s identity and his/her emotional grow are discussed on the base of diary analysis of Polish mountaineer Piotr Morawski (1976-2009). I treat the process of working on emotions as important aspect of climbers’ identity shaping and essential aspect of climbing and mountaineering activity.

  • Issue Year: IX/2013
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 70-103
  • Page Count: 33
  • Language: Polish