Rollercoaster Day

Catriona Morrison, Head of Pyschology talks about the thrill of rollercoasters

Everybody understands rollercoasters – literally (if you’ve ever ridden one at a theme park) or metaphorically (the sense of a rollercoaster of emotions). First of all, the sense of anticipation: waiting in the queue, or waiting for an outcome in your life. Second, do I really want to do this? Or alternatively, I really can’t wait! Third, a sense of fear, and knowing that, while you will ultimately be safe, you don’t know what the ride is going to be like, you might have watched it many times, but you don’t know how your experience is going to go. Even the most confident rollercoaster riders experience a sense of fear, but that is part of the attraction. Fourth, excitement at what might be around the corner – what twist or turn is next? Rollercoasters involve an intense physical and psychological experience: heart rate is raised dramatically, there is a sense of disorientation, and of course once you are on the ride you’re briefly not in control of what is happening. But ultimately, for everybody, a rollercoaster is a thrilling ride that challenges all the senses, and rarely do people experience a rollercoaster and not enjoy the ride.

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