A Psycho-Evolutionary Theory of Outdoor Education

James Neill University of Canberra

Tonia GrayUniversity of Wollongong

Jason BocarroUniversity of New Hampshire

Graham Ellis-SmithKadjinny Enterprises

Ricardo Sierra

Earth Mentoring Institute

Kaushal DesaiAdventure India

Overview

Evolution: What has really changed?

Psycho-evolutionary theory (PET)

Intra-indigenous consciousness (IIC)

Implications of PET for Practice

Implications of PET for Research

“Ishi was sure he knew the cause of our discontent. It stemmed from an excessive amount of

indoor time. 'It is not a man's nature to be

too much indoors.”

"If today I had a young mind to direct, to start on the journey of life, and I was faced with

the duty of choosing between the natural way of my

forefathers and that of the... present way of civilization, I

would, for its welfare, unhesitatingly set that child's

feet in the path of my forefathers.  I would raise

him to be an Indian!"

What has really

changed?

What has really changed?

Hunting: Hundreds of Years

Mountaineering:Hundreds of Years

The Wall:Tens of Years

What has really changed?

Canoes: 100,000 years?

Sail rafts: 20,000 years?

Seakayak: 30 years

Sources of Food

2,000,000 years 40 years

Tool Usage

Copper/Iron: 3,000 years

Computers: 20 years

Stone/Wood: 500,000? years

Industrial Machines: 150 years

What has really changed?

What has really changed?

Technology in its myriad forms intercedes between direct experience and daily intimacy with nature

Human’s inbuilt sensitivities and capacities for acquiring knowledge about nature are under-utilised

We are yet to understand the impacts of humans living en masse in radically artificial environs

Psycho-evolutionary Theory (PET)

Psycho-evolutionary Theory

Proposition 1: Human beings have a genetic

predisposition towards “life-like” or “nature” processes (Biophilia Hypothesis)

Biophilia Hypothesis Edward Wilson, an etymologist proposes that:

humans have an instinctive affinity with life-like processes i.e., nature, due to our evolutionary history

Psycho-evolutionary Theory

Proposition 2a: Everybody is indigenous.

Proposition 2b: Rediscovery of indigeneity can occur through experiential reconnection with elements of nature and experiences which were significant to one’s ancestors -> unlocking of intra-indigenous consciousness (ICC)

Psycho-evolutionary Theory

Proposition 3: Lifestyles of domesticated humans in the 21st century AD have been altered so far from that for which humans were equipped by evolution that humans are suffering for lack of direct contact with nature and the associated activation of intra-indigenous consciousness that arises from direct contact with nature.

Howard Frumkin Literature review of the positive physical health

effects of nature (in American Journal of Preventive Medicine)

Uses biophilia hypothesis as underlying the apparent positive benefits.

Research reveals positive, healthy effects of nature-based experiences e.g., effects of animals, nature scenes, adventure therapy, etc.

Example evidence of “nature’s” imprint on

consciousness… 90% of children’s stories,

cartoons, etc. feature animals as the main characters

Photos and artworks of nature and natural scenes adorn our homes, work-places, used as screen savers, etc.

Dwellings with views of nature (e.g., ocean views) are highly valued

Psycho-evolutionary Theory Proposition 4: 21st century Western

society exhibits a paradox : Each citizen consumes and pollutes the environment in an unsustainable manner in order to service lifestyle indulgence. Ironically these citizens are also driven to experience relatively unadulterated nature-based & indigenous-culture based experiences & get mental & physical benefits from doing so.

Psycho-evolutionary Theory Proposition 5a: Outdoor education

is a form of ritualistic or compensatory cultural adaptation to deal with the recent, rapid divorcing of nature from daily life.

Proposition 5b: Outdoor education occurs in industrialized lifestyles in order to reconnect people with nature, simple living, and the corresponding activation of IIC.

Psycho-evolutionary Theory Proposition 6: The rift between

evolution and culture could be bridged by re-connecting people with nature and natural processes, thereby activating IIC.

What if we could experientially grasp our evolutionary

heritage?

e.g., via indigenous

Rites of Passage

What if we could connect to the knowledge of our ancestors?

Practice Implications PET suggests that by engaging people’s IIC, a powerful source of knowing

can emerge i.e., people can genuinely come to understand themselves as part of, not apart from, nature and begin to act accordingly, potentially dealing with the critical post-industrialized “apartness”.

Outdoor education could be more directly engaging in activities and processes which facilitate the unlocking of IIC.

Example Methods for Developing Intra-Indigenous

Consciousness Walking with awareness (next simplest to ‘being with awareness) e.g., Sacred Run Minimum technology / basic tool experiences Workshops/ceremonies to unlock connections with nature, e.g., Council of All Beings Inner symbology & altered consciousness activities, e.g., Vision Quests, sweat lodges, etc. Experiential indigenous-reconnection programs such as Rediscovering Your Indigenous Heart

Research & Theory Implications

Occam’s Razor (parsimony) in modern science suggests the simplest explanation which fits the data is preferred

PET is yet to be disproven; it is a simple theory for guiding research and practice Potentially profound implications for society, education and outdoor education PET could inject OE into society as a vital component for our evolution; but OE

must genuinely evolve a focus on unlocking ICC