Risk Propensity
The easiest way to assess and manage risk taking behaviourDecision-Making Behaviour Assessed
Safety behaviour is all about decisions
We believe that all employees deserve to work in the safest possible workplaces. One way to ensure this is to assess the decision-making behaviour of employees, especially in environments where risky decisions can endanger the lives of other employees.
To assess the decision-making behaviour of individuals we developed a 3D game called Balloon Tycoon that provides an objective indication of the decision-making behaviour of an individual in a risky context where gain potential is perceived.
Out with the Old – In with the New
Traditional methods of measuring risk propensity just won’t do anymore
Using a traditional survey to measure risk propensity has some inherent drawbacks compared to using an objective measurement.
- Surveys mostly quantify attitudes or preference towards risk-taking and not the behaviour in a risky context
- Surveys might show bias towards certain cultural groups.
- The reliability of measurements might be impaired because a self-serving bias is mostly evident and social desirable answers are often provided
To solve these issues, an objective measurement that can accurately and reliably assess decision-making behaviour in a risky context, is required. For this purpose, we created the Balloon Tycoon 3D Game. Decision-making behaviour in a risky situation can be categorized into two distinct categories:
- Risk-seeking decision-making behaviour which occurs when an individual is confronted with a risky situation and displays a tendency to overestimate the probability of gain relative to the probability of loss
- Risk averse decision-making behaviour which occurs when an individual is confronted with a risky situation and displays a tendency to overestimate the probability of loss relative to the probability of gain
Balloon Tycoon
Playing games to assess decision-making behaviour
Cross Platform
Balloon Tycoon is a 3D cross platform app that can be used on Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS and iOS, and on android devices.
Objective
The game is an objective measurement of risk taking tendencies and the consistency of risk seeking or risk avoidance behaviour under pressure if gain potential is perceived.
Smart and Reliable
The game applies mathematical cognitive model decomposition, as a mathematical technique, to assess decision making behaviour in terms of a norm group and the reliability of the measurement
Touch Friendly
The cross-platform nature of the game make it very easy to use, one plays it with one finger on a touch screen or uses a mouse on a personal computer. Balloon Tycoon is suitable for all employment levels and takes about 12 minutes to complete.
Multi-Language Support
The game is available in six South African languages, namely English, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Setswana, Sesotho, and Afrikaans
Instant Feedback
By means of the Afriforte Products Lab, the game provides instant personal reports that indicates the current decision-making behaviour of an individual in a risky context. A real-time group report is also instantly downloadable from an online dashboard. The group report indicates the collective decision-making behaviour of a specific group. An extensive slice and dice feature further enhances the dashboard and group report by providing the functionality to breakdown on any conceivable group.
Why measure decision making behaviour?
Applications of the decision-making behaviour assessment
Occupational Health and Safety
Risk propensity behaviour assessments complement safety behaviour management and behavioural-based safety initiatives. Understanding decision-making behaviour in a risky context is crucial for managing the safety behaviour of not only individuals, but also the behaviour of groups and teams, proactively, via organizational control systems.
Health and Wellness Promotion
Understanding the risk-taking behaviour of an individual will allow health and wellness coaches to facilitate preventative health and lifestyle risks at a cognitive and behavioural level.
Vehicle Drivers
Making drivers (truck, taxi, and even train drivers) aware of their decision-making in a risky context is crucial to promote safety behaviour while driving.
Financial Investment
Understanding the risk-taking behaviour of a client can assist financial consultants to customize the investment portfolios of clients according to their current risk-taking appetite.
Considerations regarding Balloon Tycoon
Some final thoughts
- The literature indicates that the construct of risk propensity affects the risk perception of an individual and is influenced by personality traits, habits, and outcomes history. Other external factors such as social and cultural influences, organizational control systems, group pressure, stress-related ill health risks, etc., might also influence an individual’s risk perception. The Afriforte Balloon Tycoon Game does not assess personality traits, habits, outcomes history, or external factors but only provides an indication of the current decision-making behaviour of an individual in a risky context where gain potential is perceived.
- Balloon Tycoon is not developed for recruitment and selection purposes and should not be used for this purpose.
- Invaluable information is evident if the Balloon Tycoon assessment is combined with a Psychological Fitness Index assessment. Click here for more information.
Contact Us
Contact us for more information on measuring decision-making behaviour