The Environmental Psychology of Capsule Habitats

1. The Environmental Psychology of Capsule Habitats Jordana, Johnny and Nancy

2. Overview • Introduction • Definitions • Positive Capsule Psychology • Psychologically Relevant Aspects of the Capsule Environment • Applications of Psychology • Discussion Questions • Other Interesting Issues

3. Definitions • Capsule environments: One type is an isolated confined environment (ICE). This classification overlaps with the category of extreme and unusual environments (EUEs). • Extreme: Indicates physical parameters that are substantially outside the optimal range for human survival. • Unusual: Denotes conditions that deviate seriously from the accustomed milieux of most human communities.

4. Positive Capsule Psychology • Most accounts of capsule living emphasize its strangeness, deprivations, dangers and stresses. However, for many capsule dwellers the sojourn is a cherished and important part of their life, perceived as an impetus to growing, strengthening and deepening, to be remembered with pride and enjoyment. (Polar crews report many more positive than negative experiences.) • The return rate is high from both space and polar regions, and many travelers have a profound desire to go back. (For example, 26 out of 28 participants in a dangerous and uncomfortable undersea habitat study were willing to do it again.)

5. Positive Capsule Psychology • The long-term after-effects of these experiences are also positive. Both self reports and scientific data show that people who have come through a demanding capsule mission are mentally and physically healthier, more successful and more insightful than they had been. • Harrison & Summit argue that “third force” humanistic psychology is a framework to interpret these phenomena.

6. Sources of Stress • Sources of stress can be divided into four interacting categories: 1) Physical Stressors 2) Psycho-Environmental Factors 3) Social Factors 4) Temporal Factors

7. Physical Stressors • A capsule’s life support system is important for survival in polar regions, space and underwater. It must provide for appropriate temperatures, breathable air at near-normal pressure, adequate food and water and protection from environmental dangers. • The etiology of some adverse effects is uncertain and the extent of physical threat may be unknown. (For example, the long-term effects of microgravity.) • Unusual interior atmospheres in undersea habitats result in high-pitched voices, loss of body heat, increased chances of ear infections and sleep disturbances. Spacecraft atmospheres cause increased risks of fire and explosions and difficulty in communication because of their high oxygen content.

8. Physical Stressors • Another problem is noise that interferes with sleep and concentration. • In microgravity, spilled items may result in adverse comments from colleagues, unsanitary conditions and the release of unpleasant odours. • Without gravity, the discrepancy between bodily cues and visual cues is psychologically disorienting and may cause space motion sickness.

9. Groups Under Stress: Psychological Research in SEALAB II • A large field study of SEALAB II project to access individual and group reactions to extreme physical and psychological stress. • Sources of Stress in SEALAB • The saturation produces extreme danger because in SEALAB II the body of each diver was completely permeated with gas at 100 pounds of pressure. If external pressure were reduced suddenly to normal, this gas would boil and explode within his decompression. Therefore, when a man left SEALAB his only safe haven was a return to SEALAB capsule.

10. Groups Under Stress: Psychological Research in SEALAB II • Stressors 1) Breathing Gear 2) Cold 3) Visibility and Orientation 4) Marine Life 5) Work Difficulties and Frustrations 6) SEALAB’s Atmosphere 7) Diet Restrictions 8) Noise 9) Crowded Conditions 10) Tilted Capsule 11) Fatigue

11. Psycho-Environmental Factors • Stress may arise from the following psycho-environmental factors: • Density • The Capsule as an Isolated Confined Environment (ICE) a) Capsule Isolation b) Confinement c) Monotony

12. Density • Estimates of acceptable space per person range from 84 to 700 ft3 • Capsules do not provide enough space for such factors as territoriality, privacy and interpersonal distance • There is a dire need for space within which individuals can be alone

13. The Capsule as an Isolated Confined Environment • Isolation can lead to: 1) Neurotic Reactions 2) General Drowsiness 3) Sleep Disorders 4) Psychological Stress Resulting from Exhaustion 5) Information Exhaustibility 6) Post-Isolation Hypomanic Syndrome

14. The Capsule as an Isolated Confined Environment • Three categories of neurotic reactions are: 1) Anxiety a) Neurotic Anxiety 2) Somatoform 3) Dissociative Disorders

15. The Capsule as an Isolated Confined Environment • The DSM-III did away with the conception of neuroses, dividing those disorders into three different diagnostic categories based on the observable behavior patterns they involve. • Although neurotic behavior is maladaptive and self defeating a neurotic person is not out of touch with reality, incoherent or dangerous. Nevertheless such a person’s social relations and work performance are likely to be impaired by their efforts to cope with their fear – whether by avoiding it or taking extreme precautions to guard against it.

16. The Capsule as an Isolated Confined Environment • Three categories of neurotic reactions are: 1) Anxiety a) Neurotic Anxiety 2) Somatoform 3) Dissociative Disorders

17. The Capsule as an Isolated Confined Environment • Isolation can lead to: 1) Neurotic Reactions 2) General Drowsiness 3) Sleep Disorders 4) Psychological Stress Resulting from Exhaustion 5) Information Exhaustibility 6) Post-Isolation Hypomanic Syndrome

18. The Capsule as an Isolated Confined Environment Post-Isolation Hypomanic Syndrome • A "Manic Syndrome" is defined as including criteria A, B, and C below. A "Hypomanic Syndrome" is defined as including criteria A and B, but not C. A) A distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood. B) During the period of mood disturbance, at least three of the following symptoms have persisted (four if the mood is only irritable) and have been present to a significant degree: (1) inflated self-esteem or grandiosity (2) decreased need for sleep, e.g., feels rested after only three hours of sleep (3) more talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking (4) flight of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are racing (5) distractibility, (i.e., attention too easily drawn to unimportant or irrelevant external stimuli) (6) increase in goal-directed activity (either socially, at work or school, or sexually) or psychomotor agitation (7) excessive involvement in pleasurable activities which have a high potential for painful consequences (e.g., the person engages in unrestrained buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments) C) Mood disturbance sufficiently severe to cause marked impairment in occupational functioning or in usual social activities or relationships with others, or to necessitate hospitalization to prevent harm to self or others.

19. The Capsule as an Isolated Confined Environment • Confinement can lead to: 1) Sleeplessness 2) Depression 3) General Mood Declines 4) Compulsive Behaviour 5) Psychosomatic Problems 6) Hypodynamia

20. The Capsule as an Isolated Confined Environment • Monotony • The lack of sensory variation and novelty • Leads to increased boredom and “long eye”

21. Social Factors • Stress may arise from the following social factors: 1) Social Monotony 2) Conflict 3) Social Roles 4) Communication 5) Sex

22. Social Factors • Social Monotony • The constant or invariable nature of social relationships between the individuals in the environment • Inadequate leadership and the behaviour of others were the major sources of psychological irritation (Smith, 1969) • Alleviation of social monotony… a double edged sword

23. Social Factors • Conflict • May arise due to individual actions or characteristics • Conflicts may occur amongst crew members or between the authority figure and the followers • Argument Murder

24. Social Factors • Social Roles • The capsule environment…defining an individuals novel role • Role expectations, self-concepts and micro-cultures may lead to stress • Incompatible social roles

25. Social Factors • Communication • The capsule environment as a means of greater communication • Increases in intimacy and the depth of self disclosure • Rumours and bad news • The effect of technology on communication in the capsule

26. Social Factors • Sex • Battle of the sexes • Inappropriate attention • Sexual deprivation

27. Temporal Factors Stress may arise from the following temporal factors: Duration Cycles Scheduling

28. Temporal Factors • Duration • Length of occupancy effects the motivation and moral of crew members • Confidence and coping increase as duration increases

29. Temporal Factors • Cycles • Circadian rhythms may be disrupted • Disparity between both social and physical time cues may cause stress on the individual

30. Temporal Factors • Scheduling • Ratio of work to leisure time • “Empty” time may be a source of stress due to its unstructured nature

31. Postmission Reentry • Medical treatment and physical rehabilitation are applied but what about psychological health? • Reinstitution into the aspects of civilization are left up to the individual

32. Applications of Psychology • Three most important applications of psychology: • Selection: The attempt to staff the capsule with people who can function well in it. • Design: Approaches to making the capsule a livable environment. • Countermeasures: To ameliorate the adverse effects of prolonged psycho-environmental and social stressors by reducing boredom and other negative emotions.

33. Selection • Screening: Selecting Out • The first stage where candidates are screened for inadequate preparation, overt psychopathology and problematic life history. • Method: Interviews, biographical data and tests. • Choosing: Selecting In • The second stage attempts to choose the best of the remaining candidates. • Gunderson’s (1973) Antarctic triarchy: task ability, sociability and emotional stability.

34. Selection • Limitations • No significant difference in test scores or in stress tolerance on performance, projective and psychometric measures between the first 7 candidates selected for the Mercury program and the 24 nonselected finalists. • Limited size of volunteer pools. • Relevant personality factors to particular habitats are not specified. • “Self-related” characteristics: emotional stability, feelings of competence, self-reliance and/or high degree of autonomy, good motivation, goal orientation and demographic characteristics. • “Other related” characteristics: social versatility, agreeableness or friendliness and openness. • “Big Five” personality model

35. Selection • Personality Paradox • Volunteers scoring toward the upper end of any scale of thrill seeking, novelty seeking and competence/effectance motivation enjoy adventure and challenges. They later discover they have committed themselves to monotonous, routine, boring tasks in a confining environment. • Volunteers also tend to score high on the need for personal control and autonomy. In capsule habitats, environmental requirements and organizational regulations control life.

36. Environmental Design • Capsules usually small in size. • Limited fuel can lead to inadequate provision of light, heat and hot water. • Physical structure and internal layout tends to be designed to emphasize survivability in harsh environments and economic and functional requirements. • Capsules SHOULD provide psychosocial needs. • Carrére at al (1991) emphasizes the importance of solitude • 60% of waking time was spent alone-should design to safeguard privacy, particularly auditory privacy. • The preference for solitude and privacy should not alarm researchers and practitioners. Popular ideas that wanting to be alone is a symptom of unhappiness or maladjustment. • Sleep disturbances.

37. Countering Boredom • Negative effects of capsule dwelling: 1) Crowding 2) Isolation 3) Confinement 4) Monotony

38. Relievers of boredom and stress: 1) Videos 2) Radio 3) Television 4) Calls Home 5) Food 6) Alcohol 7) Personalizing Living Quarters 8) Personal Mementos and Photographs Countering Boredom

39. Discussion Questions • What important psychological variables have not yet been investigated in the study of extreme environments? Why do you consider them to be important? • Do you think any research on special environments has applicability to more conventional settings? • What sort of environments do you think requires initial research of further research?

40. Other Interesting Issues • Intercultural Crew Issues in Long-Duration Spaceflight Kraft et al. • Argues the importance of additional criteria such as interpersonal and communication competence along with intercultural training, will have a decisive impact on future mission success. • Physical stressors in spaceflight environment: temperature extremes, microgravity, solar and galactic cosmic radiation and lack of atmospheric pressure. • Cultural background of international crews. • Antagonist relationships between crewmembers and the ground. • Lack of trust and mutual misunderstanding between mission control and crews (Russian scientists). • Problems due to cultural differences and personal traits. • Females on board. • Long-duration spaceflights has demonstrated that strong technical skills, excellent health, and absence of psychiatric illness alone cannot ensure effective crew performance. • Interpersonal problems and their affect on work. • Entire crews should be selected rather than individuals