Predictive Effect of Curiosity and Discovery Tendencies of Outdoor Athletes on Life Satisfaction Levels

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of curiosity and discovery tendencies of individuals who participated in outdoor sports in predicting life satisfaction levels. The research was carried out in a descriptive survey model from quantitative research methods. Purposive sampling technique was used to obtain data. The sample group of the research consisted of 242 (163 Male, 79 Female) people interested in various outdoor sports. “Curiosity and Discovery Inventory II (CEI II)” which was developed by Kashdan et al., (2009) and adapted in Turkish by Ak？n (2012); “The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS)” developed by Diener, Emmons, Larsen and Griffin (1985) and adapted in Turkish Da？l？ and Baysal (2016) were used to obtain data. Online form of questionnaires have been sent to participants located in various regions of Turkey. Skewness and Kurtosis values were taken into consideration in the normality test of the data. Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data obtained from the study. As a result of analysis, a positive and moderate relationship was found between outdoor athlet’s life satisfaction levels and expansion sub dimension of curiosity scale. This relationship is positive and low in the acceptance sub-dimension of the scale. When the results of multiple linear regression analysis were examined, it was observed that the expansion sub-dimension of curiosity and exploration scale was related to life satisfaction with moderately and significantly (R=0.364, R2=0.132, p<.000). The R2 value, expressed as the power of description of the model, is interpreted as predicting about 13% of the variability in life satisfaction by the independent variables in the model. As a result, it can be stated that outdoor athletes' being open to knowledge and experience along with struggling tendencies in challenging nature conditions are effective in revealing the relationship between curiosity and discovery tendencies and life satisfaction. It can lead to an increase in the life satisfaction level of the individual as a result of the differentiation of life orientations of the individuals with high curiosity and high tendency to discover