Comfort Zone: Model or metaphor?

Abstract

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.

Borderland spaces for learning partnership: opportunities, benefits and challenges

“…These comments resonate strongly with a long-established and widely held view in outdoor adventure-based education that inhabiting novel, uncomfortable space in itself fosters new learning (Prouty et al, 2007, although see Brown, 2008).…”

Debriefing in simulation conducted in small and large groups - nursing students’ experiences

“…Their reluctance to exposure was related to their socialized student role, which was generally described as passive and receiving without having to leave what is featured as the comfort zone, characterized by not having to face any particularly new challenges [38,39] .…”

“…Though some level of anxiety is positive in that it mobilizes for action, is dependent on the person's ability to cope with such feelings. If the learner perceives the situation as posing challenges that exceed the learner's ability to cope, and causes a high level of stress and anxiety, it will impede effective learning [17,41] , known as entering the discomfort zone [39] , or also called the panic zone [38] . By not meeting their own or others' expectations, and the judgment of many unknown fellow students, the perceived risk of disclosure caused energy, focus and attention to be used on avoiding being exposed, thereby affecting the methodological success in learning adversity.…”

“…In addition, some informants referred to previous negative experiences in exposure in large groups as a reason for their reluctance to become involved, and these experiences created mistrust. This finding highlighted that it is urgent that there is a common consciousness among the educators of their collective responsibility and the codes of ethical practice for the learning community [7] , as learning depends on solid foundations and strong relationships of trust and support between educator and learner and between learners [38,47] .…”

Experiential and outdoor education: the participant experience shared through mind maps

“…The situations set up during the course frequently aim to make the participants step out of their comfort zones into new and unknown circumstances (Brown 2008). Under new circumstances, such as trekking through unknown terrain, it may be possible to achieve more intense learning and self-knowledge.…”