The Nature of Physical Bravery: A Principal Component Analysis of Bravery Using Personality Attributes, Trauma History, and Resilience in a Mixed Military and Civilian Sample

Authors

• Colin Simsarian, Palo Alto UniversityFollow
• Daniel Baldini, Palo Alto UniversityFollow
• Brenda E. Hammond, Palo Alto UniversityFollow
• Julianna Christofi, Palo Alto UniversityFollow
• Sana F. Usmani, Palo Alto UniversityFollow
• Holly M. McGrath, Palo Alto UniversityFollow
• Carolina Rader, Palo Alto UniversityFollow
• Erik Wendel Rice, Palo Alto UniversityFollow
• James Moses, Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Health Care SystemFollow
• Bruce Bongar, Palo Alto UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Heroism is a complex phenomenon shaped by psychological constructs such as bravery and courage, yet empirical research on physical bravery remains limited. This study examined the relationships among physical bravery, personality traits, trauma history, and resilience in a sample of military servicemembers and civilians (N = 197; M age = 27.69). Participants completed the Physical Bravery Survey, and data were analyzed using principal component analysis. Results identified four components explaining 70.52% of the variance in responses. Findings suggest that physically brave individuals tend to be adventurous, cognitively flexible, self-confident, humorous, resilient, and more likely to report a history of trauma. These results contribute to the growing literature on heroism by clarifying psychological factors associated with brave behavior. The findings also have practical implications for psychoeducational efforts aimed at cultivating bravery, resilience, and adaptability, particularly within military and first-responder contexts where prosocial risk-taking and commitment to others are highly valued.

DOI

10.26736/hs.2026.02.01

Recommended Citation

Simsarian, Colin; Baldini, Daniel; Hammond, Brenda E.; Christofi, Julianna; Usmani, Sana F.; McGrath, Holly M.; Rader, Carolina; Wendel Rice, Erik; Moses, James; and Bongar, Bruce (2026) "The Nature of Physical Bravery: A Principal Component Analysis of Bravery Using Personality Attributes, Trauma History, and Resilience in a Mixed Military and Civilian Sample," Heroism Science: Vol. 11: Iss. 2, Article 1.
DOI: 10.26736/hs.2026.02.01
Available at: https://scholarship.richmond.edu/heroism-science/vol11/iss2/1