Personality and rock-climbing performance progression: a 12-months follow-up

Although multiple investigations analysed the impact of personality on sport-related practice and outcomes, its contribution to explaining performance in high-risk or extreme sports was not thoroughly investigated. The present investigation pursues three different objectives: (1) identifying whether Five-Factor Model (FFM) personality traits are stable predictors of rock-climbing performance; (2) analysing the extent to which grit consistently explains various facets of rock-climbing performance, over and beyond the FFM traits; and (3) examining the extent to which grit is a consistent predictor of long-term rock-climbing progression. Data on rock-climbing performance was collected with a lag of 12 months after the collection of personality data. Participants (N = 113; 43 females and 70 males) with ages between 17 and 67 (M = 34.19, SD = 10.53) completed a comprehensive measure of rock-climbing performance (times 1 and 2). At time 1, personality was measured with the Big Five Inventory FFM –2 Short Form, and the 12-item Grit Scale, respectively. The International Rock Climbing Research Association (IRCRA) scale was used to measure various facets of rock-climbing performance at both times 1 and 2. Our previous findings were partly replicated, both openness to experience and grit emerging as consistent predictors of rock-climbing performance. However, no personality trait showed a significant association with climbing performance progression.