ERIC Number: EJ1070220
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1324-1486
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Comfort Zone: Model or Metaphor
Brown, Mike
Australian Journal of Outdoor Education, v12 n1 p3-12 2008
The comfort zone model is widespread within adventure education literature. It is based on the belief that when placed in a stressful situation people will respond by overcoming their fear and therefore grow as individuals. This model is often presented to participants prior to activities with a highly perceived sense of risk and challenge which arouses strong emotional and physical responses to novel tasks (e.g., ropes courses or rock climbing activities). Students are encouraged to think about "stretching themselves" by moving outside their comfort zone, to expand their preconceived limits and by inference learn (and become better people). This paper explores theories from cognitive and social psychology, based on the work of Piaget and Festinger respectively, that underpin the comfort zone model. The perpetuation of this model which uses risk to promote situations of disequilibrium/dissonance does not find strong support in educational literature. It is therefore suggested that the comfort zone model be reframed as a metaphor, for possible discussion post activity, rather than being used as a model to underpin programming and pedagogy in adventure education settings.
Descriptors: Models, Figurative Language, Adventure Education, Literature Reviews, Beliefs, Fear, Risk, Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Educational Theories, Educational Practices, Individual Development, Capacity Building, Skill Development
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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