Emergence and evolution of informal roles during a canoe expedition

ABSTRACT

This exploratory study was conducted to illuminate aspects relevant to the emergence and evolution of informal roles in a group during a canoe expedition. Following tenets of ethnography, the first author collected observational and interview (conversational and focus group) data while participating as a member of the expedition. Three general dimensions were revealed with regards to emerging and evolving informal roles: context aspects; role occupant aspects; and group member aspects. Informal roles were found to be important structural components which contributed to group productivity and harmony. Findings are discussed in relation to the broader literature while questions are raised regarding how informal roles have been conceptualized. Implications include considering how informal roles relate to individual (e.g. satisfaction) and group (e.g. cohesion) level constructs and how outdoor leaders may benefit from understanding how informal roles emerge and evolve.

KEYWORDS:

• Informal role
• emergence
• evolution
• outdoor
• expedition

Acknowledgements

This research was conducted through Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada. The authors wish to thank the anonymous reviewers for their honest and fair critiques in support of this manuscript, Dr Robert Schinke for his guidance in the early stages of this project, and the professors, students and clients for graciously welcoming a researcher onto their expedition.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Laurentian University Research Fund.

Notes on contributors

Jeremie M. Carreau

Jeremie M. Carreau, MHK, is the Deputy Director of Wendigo Lake Expeditions, Inc., in Canada. Jeremie has worn many hats during his career in the outdoor field, but is most proud of his work in the field of adventure therapy with Wendigo Lake. Jeremie’s research interests include topics in group dynamics and adventure therapy.

Grégoire Bosselut

Grégoire Bosselut, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Montpellier, France. Grégoire has worked on group dynamics and role perceptions in sport for more than 10 years. Grégoire met his co-authors when he was Assistant Professor at Laurentian University in Canada in the Sport Psychology programme from 2007 to 2010.

Stephen D. Ritchie

Stephen D. Ritchie, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the OAL programme at Laurentian University in Canada. Stephen has worked in the outdoor field on and off for more than 25 years as a guide, teacher, facilitator and more recently as professor in outdoor adventure leadership. Since 2006 he has been an investigator on several community-based participatory research projects with First Nations communities in northern Ontario, Canada. Stephen’s primary research interests are devoted to understanding outdoor and wilderness adventure experiences in the context of achieving personal growth and holistic health.

Jean-Philippe Heuzé

Jean-Philippe Heuzé, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in sport sciences at the University of Grenoble Alpes, France. Jean-Philippe has worked in group processes and intergroup relations in sport and exercise settings for more than 20 years. His research examines the sources and consequences of different group properties and the processes underlying the development of such properties.

Scott Arppe

Scott Arppe is a Primary Care Paramedic in Canada. He is a graduate of Laurentian University’s OAL programme where he participated in this research and served as a contextual author. Scott has held a variety of positions in the outdoor industry as a guide, facilitator and educator.