Remarks on the personality of Polish climbers Z. Ryn Since the beginning of mountaineering and especially during the time when climbing was developed as a sport, public interest in those practising it has always been animated and often controversial. Who are these climbers, and why do they climb? What are the motives which lead them towards the con- quest of ever more difficult peaks and crags? These are questions which have often been asked, which are always topical, and which many attempts have been made to answer. They are of special significance now, since there are not many of the earth’s mountains on which Man has not left the marks of explor- ation or scientific activity. Climbing has never lost its hold, but is constantly enlarging its scope and winning ardent new enthusiasts. The choice of this dangerous discipline, full of physical and mental hardships, continues to arouse the wonder of the observer, sometimes fascinates and often shocks him, especially when the mountains become the scene of man’s defeat or death. Mariusz Zaruski, in his thoughtful article “The Essence of Mountaineering’’, emphasised as early as the beginning of this century that the purpose of climb- ing and its criteria are mingled with mental incentives. Although the attitude of Man towards mountains and his views on climbing have changed since that time, Zaruski’s thesis has remained valid and has acquired new and more profound values, Research in this field has only begun in recent years, however, in connection with the organisation of increasingly larger and more difficult expeditions, especially to the Himalaya. These investigations have been guided by an important practical aim—the determination of the ability of prospective members of these great expeditions to stand severe psychological stresses as well as to share the common life of a small expeditionary group in isolation. Among studies of this nature it is worth citing the descriptions of the person- alities of those taking in the Everest expedition given by Lester in 1963 3. Presenting the characteristic features of the personalities of these climbers, Lester emphasised, among other things, traits such as resource, spontaneity, atendency to rebel against principles and restrictions, a need for independence, self-sufficiency, self-confidence and the keeping of those surrounding them at a distance. ‘The more exhaustive studies carried out by Jackson present the personality of the English record-seeking climber as one withdrawing from social inter- course, cautious and even timid, intelligent, given to abstract thinking, self- sufficient, resourceful and self-confident’. 87REMARKS ON 1 RSONALITY OF POLISH CLIMBERS ‘The personality of young Italian climbers, according to Rossi*,ischaracterised by a lowered level of self-evaluation accompanied by a heightened level of aspiration. Certain aggressive elements are secondary. Studies on the personality of Polish climbers were carried out by the present author in 1966~-7o in the Psychiatrical Department of the Cracow Academy of Medicine when preparing a doctoral dissertation on psychopathology in mountaineering*:®. These studies were made on a group of 30 climbers (20 men and 10 women), members of the Polish Alpine Club, who had been active climbers for many years and had taken part in mountaineering expeditions on the highest mountains in the world. ‘The basic method of work was the psychological and psychiatrical interview, observation, and Cattell’s personality questionnaire. ‘The men studied varied in age from 26 to 49 (average 33 years), and the women from 28 to 45 (average 35 years). Most of them came from an educated environ- ment in large urban centres; 26 were graduates, and the others had had vocational secondary education, mostly in technical subjects. Ten belonged to the academic staff in centres of higher education. ‘The investigations carried out enabled two characteristic personality types to be distinguished, the schizoid-psychasthenic and the asthenic-neurotic. The most frequently found was a personality with schizoidal-psychasthenic traits, characterised by such features as secretiveness, reserve, and the avoidance of contacts with other people. These individuals were distinguished by great emotional sensitivity but at the same time had difficulty in revealing this; they were not at all sure of themselves and had a feeling of inferiority with a high level of aspiration. Those studied in this group were as a rule extremely active, self-reliant, eccentric and unconventional in behaviour. They exhibited marked difficulty in submitting to social and collective discipline. Emotionally they were unstable, obstinate, excitable, over-sensitive and sometimes aggressive. A tendency to day-dreaming and fantasy was characteristic. Almost all those in this group were distinguished by good physical condition and had a high threshold of frustration tolerance. ‘A few individuals in this group were characterised by a tendency to isolate themselves from those surrounding them and to seek to be alone, outward emotional coolness, mistrust and suspicion of contacts with others. ‘The other personality type, that with asthenic-neurotic traits, was characterised above all by shyness, timidity, a feeling of inferiority and many neurotic symptoms. These individuals felt a great need to be conspicuous amongst those surrounding them and had high ambitions and aspirations. Numerous traumatic factors, especially in childhood, as well as previous illnesses, had led to a feeling of inferiority in personal worth and physical efficiency, causing them to avoid those of the same age. This led to a secondary need to test their own worth, so that they sought for appropriate difficulties and risks and exposed 88REMARKS ON THE PERSONALITY OF POLISH CLIMBERS themselves to danger. The neurotic symptoms included hypersensitivity and emotional imbalance; neurasthenic, phobic-depressive and psychosomatic symptoms predominated. ‘The feeling of inferiority in these people, and especially of inferior motor efficiency, resulted either from their asthenic physique and susceptibility to disease in childhood, or from prolonged illnesses impeding normal physical development in childhood, e.g. poliomyelitis with pareses, rheumatic endo- carditis and spinal rachitis. These illnesses were of great significance in living through and keeping up a feeling of restricted freedom of movement, ability to take part in games or gymnastics, and these limitations often affected partici- pation in mountaineering. Such an experience was so strong in one of the climbers examined that even after about twenty years his recollections revived. with complete clarity when he had reached a 7500-m peak in the Hindu Kush. Another climber, who as a schoolboy had suffered from chronic rheumatism. with cardiac lesion and had been brought up in an iatrogenic atmosphere as aconsequence of thisillness, declared that when he came to puberty, he mastered himself and resolved to have a shorter life but in his own way ; he began intensive physical exercise against orders, went for sports, and after some years achieved the excellent physical form which later enabled him to attempt record-breaking climbs and pot-holing. In both these groups most of those studied exhibited outstanding intelligence from the intellectual point of view. Comparing the investigation results in the group of women and in that of men, the following differences were found: the women were markedly inferior in general adjustment, had many neurotic symptoms, were much more sensitive, tolerated frustration worse and had a rich fantasy which might lead to a neurotic fear of imaginary danger; the men were well adjusted, had a strong need to dominate and to stress their own ego, great tolerance of frustration and a feeling of security and self-sufficiency. All those studied were characterised by weak sexuality and were not very deeply interested in their occupations. The descriptions of the climbers’ personalities explain to a certain extent the motives behind mountaineering. A closer approach to this problem enables two groups of factors playing a very important part to be distinguished ; those of environment and those of personality. The circumstances of the first encounter with mountains, family traditions in climbing, mountaineering literature and the persuasions of friends were significant in the first group of factors. In most of those studied the first en- counter with mountains brought an experience of fascination and wonder, an emotional revelation of something new and unknown. Interest in mountains caused personal, family or occupational plans to be put aside. Many people chose places to work or live in, their studies, occupation or 89REMARKS ON THE PERSONALITY OF POLISH CLIMBERS research in order to be near mountains. Often, too, the experiences brought back from the mountains gave inspiration to writers, artists or men of learning. In the group of personality factors, the most significant proved to be the emotional reactions. The most attractive aspect of mountaineering, as was emphasised by most of those studied, is the opportunity of experiencing emotions unique in their nature. It becomes impossible to replace the desire to climb mountains by any other form of activity. The answer of one of the subjects is characteristic: ‘To experience climbing, I gave up everything; I neglected my studies and then my work; the mountains drew me against my reason, but then they gave me peace of mind.’ Climbing also gives an op- portunity of testing one’s strength and what one can do. Among other motives may be mentioned the taking of independent decisions, the absence of social restrictions, freedom of movement in space, the chance—and even the necessity—to take risks and expose oneself to danger, and also the need to free oneself from conventional daily life, unattractive and emotionally mono- tonous. The aesthetic interest in landscape played a secondary role. Such elements as heroism, combating loneliness and natural difficulties in the mountains, as well as struggling with the self—its weaknesses, fear and feeling of inferiority—assume a particular importance in the life of climbers as com- pared with representatives of other extreme sports. In this sphere occurs what in sport is called competition. It should be strongly emphasised that climbers fully realise the dangers in- herent in this sport. They climb because their need of psychological sat faction is stronger than their fear. It is not by accident that in mountaineering circles all over the world there gather together individuals distinguished by their individuality, intellect, ambition and creative power. References 1 Jackson J. ‘Personality and Climbing’. Research Papers in Physical Education 1967, No 5, Carnegie College of Physical Education 2 Lester, J. 'T. ‘Personality and Everest.’ AJ 74 101-7 3. Lester, J. T. ‘Men to match Everest.’ Naval Research Reviews, N.Y., 1964 4 Rossi G. ‘Clinical investigation of psychological characteristics of alpinists.’ G. Med. Milit. 1967, No 117/3, pp 272-280 5 Ryn Z. ‘Zaburzenia psychiczne alpinistéw w warunkach stresu wysoko- gorskiego.’ Akademia Medyczna w Krakowie, 1970 (unpublished doctoral dissertation) 6 Ryn, Z. ‘Psychopathology in alpinism.’ Acta Medica Polona 12 453-467 7 Zavuski M. ‘Oistecie alpinismu.’ in Wierchy, Yearbook 7, Cracow, 1930, Pp 55-60 go