The role of the natural environment for eudemonic well-being and identity during adventure experiences

Two quantitative studies are presented that assessed the extent to which being exposed to the natural environment during adventure experiences could positively affect, as a dual-process model, both psychological wellbeing and environmental identity. Working with the John Muir Trust and their programme of adventure activities in Scotland (e.g., sea kayaking, camping, woodland craft skills, conservation tasks & canoeing), two studies investigated the effects of adventure on participant's eudemonic wellbeing (self-actualisation & personal-expressiveness), hedonic wellbeing (satisfaction with life & happiness) and environmental identity. Results from Study 1 (N = 47) indicated that participants reported significantly greater eudemonic, but not hedonic, wellbeing and stronger environmental identity after their adventure experiences. The second study (N = 44) compared an Adventure group (n = 21), to a Control group (n = 23) – matched by mean age and gender in a partial replication of the first study. The findings indicated that the Adventure group reported greater post-experience self-actualisation and stronger environmental identity than did the control group; but not for the other research variables. The convergences and divergences between both studies and the strengths and limitations of each are considered. Moreover, how outdoor adventure experiences may operate reciprocally, positively affecting participants and the environment (e.g., Totton, 2011), are discussed.