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Roger et al thanks for the thread. Roger you asked for a research perspective, and whilst I cannot offer academic research, the connection between the credit crunch and expeditioning reminded me of some email conversations, with expedition leaders about risk when I edited Horizons for IOL. It was I think Wally Herbert (I may be mistaken !!) said a risk he had seen with OAE expeditions was with a young male leader, and a young male group. The leader he said, was in his experience, more likely to take risks to impress or intimidate male expedition members. I remember talk http://tinyurl.com/6rrt65o or http://tinyurl.com/7e35n8x about masculinity and the credit crunch (for non UK readers the Guardian is definitely a liberal paper by the way) and wondered if there were parallels. Our prime minister is currently arguing an economic case for a female quota on company boards. Again non-academic, but I also think that virtuality effects our perception of risk. I have suggested before that ropes course et al create a theatre of adventure, with virtual risk. We experience risk 'as if' it were real, but it is simply perceived risk. With markets becoming more and more virtual, for example 'Quantitative Easing' does not print 'real' money, but inputs capital electronically, maybe the markets don't perceive risk in the same way. If risk becomes virtual, so do the potential outcomes. The Guardian (again) http://tinyurl.com/755hwm4 carried an article about young climbers underestimating risk, and cites gaining experience on climbing walls, where again risk is more virtual (compared with real mountains). The article also talks about gender differences, reinforcing Wally Herberts point.