A Psycho-Evolutionary Theory of
Outdoor Education
James Neill
University of Canberra
Graham Ellis-Smith
Kadjinny Enterprises
Tonia Gray
University of Wollongong
Ricardo Sierra
Jason Bocarro
University of New Hampshire
Kaushal Desai
Adventure India
Earth Mentoring Institute
Overview
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Evolution: What has really changed?
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Psycho-evolutionary theory (PET)
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Intra-indigenous consciousness (IIC)
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Implications of PET for Practice
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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?
The Wall:
Tens of Years
Hunting:
Hundreds of Years
Mountaineering:
Hundreds of
Years
What has really
changed?
Sail rafts:
20,000 years?
Canoes:
100,000 years?
Seakayak:
30 years
Sources of Food
2,000,000 years
40 years
Stone/Wood: 500,000? years
Tool Usage
Industrial Machines:
150 years
Copper/Iron:
3,000 years
Computers:
20 years
What has really
changed?
What has really
changed?
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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
Psychoevolutionary
Theory (PET)
Psycho-evolutionary Theory
Proposition 1:
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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 lifelike 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 intraindigenous 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 intraindigenous consciousness that arises
from direct contact with nature.
Howard Frumkin
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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…
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90% of children’s stories, cartoons, etc.
feature animals as the main characters
Photos and artworks of nature and
natural scenes adorn our homes, workplaces, used as screen savers, etc.
Dwellings with views of nature (e.g.,
ocean views) are highly valued
Psycho-evolutionary Theory
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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 naturebased & indigenous-culture based
experiences & get mental & physical
benefits from doing so.
Psycho-evolutionary Theory
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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
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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?
What if we could
connect to the
knowledge of our
ancestors?
e.g., via indigenous
Rites of Passage
Practice Implications
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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 postindustrialized “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
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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
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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