ABSTRACT
Traditionally concepts of development commence from a negative standpoint that seeks to identify what is wrong and then improve what is judged to be at fault. Such an approach adopts what Thomson refers to as a 'pseudo-medical model' underpinned by 'passivity and dependency'. An application of positive psychology to informal, experiential and outdoor education does not merely require the providing of positive experiences. It entails the careful construction of experiences which will draw on the capabilities, knowledge and skills of participants, who will encounter those experiences within the context of meaningful action. Outdoor education has the potential to facilitate bonds between participants who are connected in both the activity and beyond, bonds that once forged can contribute towards the achievement of shared and mutually agreed outcomes. It is of course incumbent upon the educator to enable participants to link experiences of the outdoor environment to their understanding of the social world 'at home'.
