Abstract:
There were three purposes to this study. The first purpose was to
determine how learning can be influenced by various factors i~ the rock
climbing experience. The second purpose was to examine what people can
learn from the rock climbing experience. The third purpose was to investigate
whether that learning can transfer from the rock climbing experience to the
subjects' real life in the workplace.
Ninety employees from a financial corporation in the Niagara Region
volunteered for this study. All subjects were surveyed throughout a one-day
treatment. Ten were purposefully selected one month later for interviews.
Ten themes emerged from the subjects in terms of what was learned.
Inspiration, motivation, and determination, preparation, goals and limitations,
perceptions and expectations, confidence and risk taking, trust and support,
teamwork, feedback and encouragement, learning from failure, and finally,
skills and flow. All participants were able to transfer what was learned back to
the workplace.
The results of this study suggested that subjects' learning was influenced
by their ability to: take risks in a safe environment, fail without penalty, support
each other, plan without time constraints, and enjoy the company of fellow
workers that they wouldn't normally associate with.
Future directions for research should include different types of treatments
such as white water rafting, sky diving, tall ship sailing, or caving.
