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Psychological changes in hundred-day remote Antarctic field groups
1Wyle Life Sciences.
Environment and Behavior
|September 7, 2001
Summary
This study on Antarctic expeditions found that psychological issues like team tension and low morale primarily occurred within individuals or between them, not impacting the entire group equally. Environmental and personality factors played a role in adaptation.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Environmental Psychology
- Human Factors
Background:
- Psychological adaptation to extreme environments is crucial for mission success.
- Previous research offers varied perspectives on group dynamics in isolated settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate psychological adaptation in male crew members during long-duration Antarctic traverses.
- To identify predictors of psychological well-being and group functioning in extreme environments.
Main Methods:
- Two Australian male teams (n=12) completed twice-weekly computer-administered questionnaires during 100-day Antarctic traverses.
- Pooled time-series regression analyzed personality, environmental, and interpersonal factors predicting psychological outcomes.
Main Results:
- Group-level data showed minimal trends, aligning with prior research.
- Individual and interpersonal factors were primary drivers of psychological discomfort, including group tensions, personal morale, emotional state, cognitive readiness, and team work life.
- Psychological issues did not uniformly affect all group members.
Conclusions:
- Psychological challenges in extreme environments are often individualized or interpersonal.
- Understanding these individual and dyadic dynamics is key to supporting crew well-being during long-duration missions.
- Targeted interventions may be more effective than group-wide approaches.
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