Where has the Adventure Gone?

Bringing Risk Back Bringing Risk Back into the Outdoorsinto the Outdoors

James NeillCenter for Applied Psychology,University of Canberra

ORIC Conference, Sydney, October 11-12, 2003

Objectives

Argue for positive perceptions of “risk”

Look at how adventure education can provide “risk education”

Riskhas become a hot topic…

Risk has become a science, a philosophy, an ethical issue,

an art form, and a commodity.

David Blaine, fasting 44 days in a plastic box above the Thames,

Sept. 2003

We have been “dealing with risk”

since the beginning of time…

Yet, we have been “dealing with risk”

since the beginning of time…

…only the lucky survived…

Two Basic Views of Risk Negative & Positive

R - R+Risk

of lossRisk

of gain

Minimizes risk of loss to maintain

status quo

Engages in risk for growth or gain

R- philosophy “risk aversity”

e.g., insurance, law

R+ philosophy “risk engagement”

e.g., exploration, sport

Philosophy of R- and R+

“…One crowded hour of glorious life

Is worth an age without a name."

Thomas Mordant, 18th century

R+

R- ?

Adventure Education:Adventure Education:A Double-Edged SwordA Double-Edged Sword

Kurt Hahn observed that Outward Bound was a double-edged sword – it cut and it healed

R+

R-

“moral equivalent of war”

“Virtually all Outdoor and Adventure Education programs embrace the value of risk as a means of education and self-

discovery.“ [R+]- Adventure Risk Management

Adventure education structures learning about R+ and R-

e.g., indigenous

Rites of Passage

Healthy societies create formative risk-based educational experiences.

“…without adventure civilisation is in full decay”

- Alfred Whitehead

Healthy Society

Risk Education

UnhealthySociety

Risk Mis-

Education

e.g.,

• rites of passage

• adventure education

e.g.,

• drug abuse

• self-harm / suicide

Unhealthy societies…

Over-controlRisks

Under-controlRisks

Example of Risk Education

R-Education

about how to manage

negative risks

R+Education

about how to manage

positive risks

Example of Risk Education

R-

e.g., safe sex class

GOAL: avoid negative consequences

R+

e.g., Karma Sutra workshop

GOAL: obtain positive consequences

Healthy Society

Risk Education

UnhealthySociety

Risk Mis-

Education

Management of R+

Management of R-

or bias R+

or bias R-

Balanced Unbalanced

The Zeitgeist has swung the risk pendulum in society towards “Risk Aversity” in recent decades

R- RISKAVERSE

R+ RISKEMBRACING

The Risk Pendulum (Zeitgeist)

1960’s

1970’s1980’s

1990’s

2000’s?

Playing Outside is Playing Outside is Under ThreatUnder Threat

Recent British research has found that children are increasingly playing

indoors. •Adult intolerance forcing children to be mini-adults

•Increased fear of child molestation

•Decline of extended family, increase in single parents

•Perceived inaccessibility of outdoor places in urban society

The Risk of Becoming Too Safe?

“Willi Unsoeld was once asked by a fearful mother if he could guarantee her son's safety; no, he told her. But by sheltering her son from risk, he added, she would guarantee the death of his soul.” (Rick Pender)

The Risk of Becoming Too Wild?

R+ = admired McCandless immensely for his courage and noble ideals

R- = that McCandless was a reckless idiot, a narcissist who perished out of arrogance and stupidity

Evolution of “Safety Practices”

(Priest, 1999)

• Increased popularity of activity• Industry self-regulates• No litigation

• Increased accidents• Early standards• 1st litigations

• Legal restrictions• Professional standards• Litigation a common concern

• Difficult to operate• Standards required• Lawsuits common

Future Evolution of Outdoor Education?

A paradigm shift can stimulate new growth

The point is to react creatively before its too late

(Arne Stjernholm Madsen 2001)

Positive & Negative Risks in Outdoor Education

P (Physical Loss)

= ~everyday life

P (PhysicalGain)

= ~99%?

P (Psychologica

l Loss) = ~20%

P (Psychologica

l Gain) = ~65%

“no change” = 15%

15% no

change65%

positivechange

20% negative change

No change

PsychologicalEffects of

Adventure Education

Hattie et al1997

As an Industry, Let’s Get Positive about

Risk

"The latitude for innovation has never

been broader- if only our minds can

stretch to it."- Gary Hamel

Simple Outdoor Education

A backpack, a bit of food, and a plan Students can conduct their own expeditions Simple gear Solo

Participants can Learn to Manage Risks

Use Holistic Range of Challenges

EnvironmeEnvironmentalntal

PhysicalPhysical SocialSocial EmotionaEmotionall

Time

Risk +

Support=

Growth

Use the Spectrum of Choice

VoluntarVoluntaryy

ChallengChallenge by e by

ChoiceChoice

Tough Tough Love Love

(Impellin(Impelling)g)

CompulsCompulsoryory

e.g., e.g., Scouts, Scouts, D of ED of E

e.g., e.g., Project Project

AdventuAdventurere

e.g., e.g., Outward Outward BoundBound

e.g., e.g., incarcerincarcer

ated ated youthyouth

Incorporate“Risk Education”

intoOutdoor Education

Research Healthy Risk Taking1. I am good at deciding whether a risk

is worth taking.

2. I avoid actions which risk my health and well-being.

3. I think carefully about the consequences of my risky actions.

4. I balance my risk-taking behaviors -- I am not too risky or too cautious.

5. I make effective use of risk-taking in my life.

Research Healthy Risk Taking

Risk management can be reinvigorated by seeing:

Conclusions

- risk as an opportunity (R+)- risk as a TOOL - risk education as a GOAL

Adventure educators need to guide society with regard

to fear, risk and safety.

R+

R-

Ideas will be collated online for ways to increase R+ in

outdoor education, i.e., positive experiences of

risk. • Emailjames@wilderdom.com

Copy of materials:www.wilderdom.com/Risk.html