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Papers by Peter Suedfeld

Attention Perception & Psychophysics, 1969

Acta Astronautica, Nov 1, 2018

Research in human spaceflight has extensively documented how microgravity environments, such as s... more Research in human spaceflight has extensively documented how microgravity environments, such as spaceflight across Low Earth Orbit (LEO), affects astronauts' and Spaceflight Participants' emotions. However, a more refined understanding of this topic will become especially relevant as national and international space agencies increase the duration of manned space missions, and as the private sector fully enters the aerospace arena. In this paper, we analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the four main types of interventions for dealing with the stressors associated with human spaceflight (i.e., ergonomic, physiological, psychological, and psychosocial), and then elaborate on a psychosocial intervention

Acta Astronautica, Oct 1, 2012

Introduction: Salutogenesis and posttraumatic growth represent personal growth and improved funct... more Introduction: Salutogenesis and posttraumatic growth represent personal growth and improved functioning as a result of experiencing major challenging events. These developments are not simply resilience (a return to a baseline level of well-being), but positive change in such characteristics as self-understanding, relations with others, personal values, and life goals. Space agencies and space psychologists, primarily concerned with deleterious effects and their countermeasures, have not paid much attention to such beneficial long-term aftereffects of spaceflight. Purpose: To document what changes veterans of the Soviet/Russian space program report as a consequence of their experiences. Method: Twenty retired male cosmonauts Mir and/or ISS cosmonauts filled out relevant self-report questionnaires. Results: Although there was little change in the relative rankings of a list of values, the scale showed an overall increase in the rated importance of all personal values, although only the increase in Self-Direction reached statistical significance. Responses to one of two post-space growth questionnaires based on the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) were compared to the means of two comparison groups: 152 first-time mothers, and 926 respondents who had experienced various forms of trauma. The cosmonauts reported higher scores on the dimension of New Possibilities when compared to the new mothers and the traumatized group, and higher scores on Personal Strength and Overall PTG compared to the latter. Respondents who had spent more than a year in space, and those who flew on both Mir and ISS, were the most likely to report positive change in the domain Appreciation of Life. The other postspace career questionnaire reflected major changes in Perceptions of the Earth and of Space, and increases on a number of other dimensions, including New Possibilities and Changes in Daily Life, with positive scores that significantly exceeded the original report. Discussion: It appears that cosmonauts do experience various aspects of positive personal growth following their space flights. As long-duration missions are (and will remain) the norm, it is important for the space agencies and the voyagers themselves to develop a better understanding and possible enhancement of this phenomenon.

Environment and Behavior, 2000

Suedfeld, Weiss / GUEST EDITORS' COMMENTS GUEST EDITORS' COMMENTS The Antarctic continent constit... more Suedfeld, Weiss / GUEST EDITORS' COMMENTS GUEST EDITORS' COMMENTS The Antarctic continent constitutes an interesting anomaly in the psyche of humanity. Thousands of people have been there as adventurers, scientists, workers, and increasingly, as tourists. At least within the past 40 years-that is, as far back as most of these visitors can recall-sojourns on the ice have been relatively comfortable and safe. Accidents do happen, but they are probably only somewhat more likely than elsewhere. Many are of the same sort as might occur in any city, factory, or construction project: heavy equipment overturning or falling, aircraft crashing, toxic liquids or gases being inadvertently released. Food, shelter, heat, and water are in reasonable supply. The largest community, McMurdo Station, has pay phones, a bus service, a bowling alley, and more TV channels than New Zealand. In spite of these mundane aspects of the place, its mystique persists. The heroic histories of Scott, Amundsen, Shackleton, Byrd, Mawson, and their counterparts from many other countries continue to define the Antarctic experience in our minds. Even now, some daredevils make life harder and more dangerous for themselves by trekking across the continent on skis and sledges. Perhaps unconsciously, when we think of Antarctica, our minds are pervaded by the aura of privation and danger. A recent book is promoted by its publisher with phrases such as "journey into the white heart of a continent that few dare to explore" and "only those whose hearts are stout, whose bodies are strong, and whose minds are determined will survive." These are comments that are out of date by decades, but they seem reasonable enough to most readers. What is the environment really like, and what does it take to survive, function, and thrive in it? Under present-day conditions, going there does not mean playing dice with death; on the other hand, it is not a stroll around the park either. Especially for those who work there and who stay for periods of months or years, Antarctica poses interesting and occasionally threatening challenges. It is a prototypical extreme and unusual environment, different both psychologically and physically from those to which we are accustomed. This is especially true in the long austral winter, when some stations come close to what it might be like to live in a lunar or Martian base.

Acta Astronautica, Aug 1, 2018

The space career requires numerous absences from the cosmonaut's family during training and space... more The space career requires numerous absences from the cosmonaut's family during training and spaceflight. Such absences mean missing important milestones, events, and celebrations in the lives of their children. This study assesses retired cosmonauts' views of actual and desired involvement with their children during their spaceflight career. The Father Involvement Scale (adapted from Finley & Schwartz, 2004; Hawkins et al., 2002), translated into Russian, was answered by 17 retired cosmonauts. The 20 domains in the scale included 10 Expressive (e.g., intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual development; sharing activities and interests) and 10 Instrumental (e.g., providing income, being protective, discipline, school/homework, and developing responsibility, independence, and competence). The cosmonauts' ratings of actual involvement with their children's lives was between Sometimes involved and Often involved (M = 3.66, SD = 0.42). None of the cosmonauts indicated Never involved for any of the Expressive domains or for seven of the ten Instrumental domains. Within the Expressive domains, the majority of cosmonauts said they were "often" involved in their child's spiritual development and in sharing activities/interests. Within the Instrumental domains, they were "often" involved in discipline and "always" involved in providing income. The areas in which they wished they had been "much more involved" than they had been were Expressive, rather than Instrumental: intellectual, spiritual, and physical development; sharing activities/interests, and companionship. This is the first study to measure retrospective assessments of father involvement during spaceflight careers. Space agencies should consider how Family Support personnel can enhance the parental involvement of future spacefarers.

Acta Astronautica, May 1, 2018

Motivational patterns have been shown to be related to outcomes such as occupational success and ... more Motivational patterns have been shown to be related to outcomes such as occupational success and satisfaction, innovation, aggressiveness, cooperation, and conformity. They are likely to be important in adaptation to the demands of flying in a space crew. Autobiographical interviews with 20 retired long-duration male cosmonauts were scored for references to three core motives: the needs for Achievement, Power, and Affiliation. Overall, the cosmonauts mentioned need for Affiliation most often, followed by need for Achievement, with need for Power the least frequently mentioned. However, need for Power increased between reminiscences of one's preflight career to those concerning the in-flight and post-flight periods. Imagery related to both other needs decreased. Cosmonauts who had spent less than a year in space mentioned need for Achievement significantly more frequently than those who had spent more than a year. Other space-experience and demographic variables, and changes across pairs of career phases, were not significant. The high scores for need for Affiliation indicate the importance of selecting compatible teams and fostering friendship and cooperation during training and deployment. A relatively flat hierarchical organization would be harmonious with low Power motivation; but the increase during missions indicates a desire for autonomy. After retirement from spaceflight, former space crews should be afforded opportunities for leadership and decision-making to satisfy continuing need for Power. Comparison is made to the same measures applied to a sample of ISS crewmembers, and to the ISS vs. veteran data for 8 cosmonauts who were included in both sets of data. Acronyms/Abbreviations Thematic content analysis (TCA), Motive imagery (MI), need for Achievement (nAch), need for Affiliation (nAff), need for Power (nPow), ICE[s] (isolated, confined environment[s]), International Space Station (ISS), Long-term Effects After Prolonged Spaceflight (LEAPS).

Acta Astronautica, Dec 1, 2012

Anecdotal evidence and qualitative research attest to the importance of work-family interactions ... more Anecdotal evidence and qualitative research attest to the importance of work-family interactions pre-, during and post-missions. This study uses thematic content analysis to quantify characteristics of work-family interactions and how these changed by stage of cosmonauts' career, identifying the effect of space career variables (e.g., time in space and station) on such interactions during and post-career. Using a thematic scoring scheme developed for this study, we coded work-family interactions identified from interviews with 20 retired male cosmonauts. The majority of work-family interactions were ones in which work overlapped into family life and work hindered or interfered with the family situation. The most common resolution was that family adjusted to work, and the mood or tone about this outcome was almost equally divided among negative, positive and neutral. Changes in work-family interactions and their resolution over the cosmonaut's life showed that the significant interactions were most evident during the cosmonaut career. Although the cosmonaut career has high work demands, it did adjust for family when the need arose. The Russian Space Agency (RKS) eased the impact of the periodic absences, especially through regular communication sessions. Positive work-family interactions, i.e., work or family helping the opposite role, were more likely for those who had been on ISS, not Mir, and for those whose last flight was after 2000. Our data reflect retired cosmonauts' recollections of work-family interactions during their career. Examples of work overlapping into family life and work viewed as interfering with family life were possibly more salient or better remembered than work or family helping the other role.

Acta Astronautica, May 1, 2015

Coping is a dynamic physiological and psychological process in response to perceived environmenta... more Coping is a dynamic physiological and psychological process in response to perceived environmental stress that functions to restore physiological homeostasis and reduce negative affect [1]. Thematic content analysis was employed for references to 13 well-established coping strategies in interviews with 20 retired long-duration male cosmonauts. As in previous research with other space samples [2,3] the retired cosmonauts mentioned Problem-Oriented strategies more frequently than Emotion-Oriented ones. In the present sample, Seeking Social Support, Planful Problem Solving and Endurance/Obedience/Effort were the top three most mentioned coping strategies. Cosmonauts who had spent more than a year in space, compared to those who had spent less than a year, mentioned using Planful Problem Solving more as they recalled their career and retirement. Examining changes over time, spaceflight had a positive effect on Accepting Responsibility. Endurance/Obedience/Effort steadily decreased over time, while we found an inverted-U pattern for Distancing and Self-Control. Additional results in relation to other astronaut samples and the relationship between coping and post-flight growth are discussed.

Environment and Behavior, 2000

This introduction to the special issue traces the history of psychosocial concerns related to Ant... more This introduction to the special issue traces the history of psychosocial concerns related to Antarctic exploration, from the heroic age of early explorers through the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957 to 1958 to recent and current systematic research projects. The introduction discusses the organization and topics of international psychological investigations in polar stations and summarizes the articles that follow. Living in Antarctica imposes some unusual restrictions as well as opportunities, and it requires psychological adaptation to extreme environmental circumstances. The thrust of previous scientific and popular literature has been to focus on the negative effects of the situation and ignore the positive ones; however, ongoing studies are bringing about a more balanced view. Having an accurate understanding is important not only intrinsically and for appropriate application in the Antarctic itself but also in analogous extreme and unusual environments. These include extended space flight and space habitation, such as the projected voyage to Mars.

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Oct 25, 2021

The neurological and psychological characteristics of adolescence make adolescents particularly v... more The neurological and psychological characteristics of adolescence make adolescents particularly vulnerable to recruitment tactics employed by fringe and antisocial groups. ISIL is not the first group to take advantage of adolescents’ vulnerabilities, but the group has become particularly adept at doing so. Undermining their influence among potential recruits in this age range requires an understanding of the adolescents’ state of mind and brain; counter-messages that are intuitively appealing to older adults may be ineffective, or even counter-productive among this audience. In particular, messages directed to adolescents should (1) focus on emotionally impactful messages instead of logical arguments, (2) avoid emphasizing the risks associated with joining ISIL, and (3) undermine ISIL’s claims to provide belongingness and peer affiliation and provide alternate means for social acceptance. Introduction On February 23, 2016 the government of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region repor...

This report suggests potential types of actions and messages most likely to influence and deter B... more This report suggests potential types of actions and messages most likely to influence and deter Bashar al-Assad from using force in the ongoing Syrian civil war. This preliminary study is based on multidisciplinary analyses of Bashar al-Assad’s speeches, and how he reacts to real events and verbal messages from external sources. The results are summarized in a two-part report. Part I (this document) provides a preliminary summary, comparison of results, and recommendations. Part II gives a detailed description of each analytical approach. Data: The speeches used in the study were delivered by al-Assad from Jan 2000 to Sept 2013; the past six years was sampled most densely. Additional Twitter feeds were analyzed to gauge his influence in the region. Analytical Approaches: Five separate methods analyzed the speeches: (a) automated text analytics that profile al-Assad’s decision making style and ability to appreciate alternative viewpoints; (b) integrative complexity (IC) analysis that...

Data in Brief, 2020

The data presented in this article relate to the research article entitled "assessing psychologic... more The data presented in this article relate to the research article entitled "assessing psychological adaptation during polar winterovers: The isolated and confined environments questionnaire (ICE-Q)" [1]. These data were acquired in order to develop a standardized instrument e the ICE-Q e designed to assess psychological adaptation within isolated, confined, and extreme environments. A total of 140 winterers from several sub-Antarctic (Amsterdam, Crozet, Kerguelen) and Antarctic (Concordia, Terre Ad elie) stations voluntarily participated. Data were collected by multiple self-report questionnaires including a wide variety of well-known and validated questionnaires to record the winterers' responses to polar stations. Data were gathered across two or three winter seasons within each of the 5 polar stations to ensure sufficiently large sample. From four to seven measurement time along a one-year period were proposed to the participants, resulting in 479 momentary assessments. Results of exploratory factor analyses, confirmatory factor analyses, exploratory structural equation modelling, reliability analyses, and test-retest provided strong evidence for the construct validity of the ICE-Q (19eitem 4-factor questionnaire). The four factors were social, emotional, occupational and physical. Future studies would examine the dynamic of

Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2019

Stressors in Isolated, Confined, Extreme environments (ICE environments) pose important challenge... more Stressors in Isolated, Confined, Extreme environments (ICE environments) pose important challenges to psychological adaptation, whose assessment is therefore an important research issue. This article describes a standardized instrument, the ICE-Q, to help evaluate individual differences in adaptation to ICE environments. Several groups (n=140), each spending one year in sub-Antarctic or Antarctic stations, completed a questionnaire. Factor analyses provided strong evidence for the construct validity of the ICE-Q. The most salient factors were (a) social (e.g., relationships, social support), (b) emotional (e.g., emotional changes, boredom), (c) occupational (e.g., level of investment in work and leisure activities) and (d) physical (e.g., fatigue, well-being). Complementing other methods, this short, quick, cost-effective and non-invasive measure could serve to (1) monitor psychological adaptation within the four key domains, and (2) assess methods used to facilitate adaptation to extreme situations and enhance the health and well-being of participants.

Attention Perception & Psychophysics, 1969

Acta Astronautica, Nov 1, 2018

Research in human spaceflight has extensively documented how microgravity environments, such as s... more Research in human spaceflight has extensively documented how microgravity environments, such as spaceflight across Low Earth Orbit (LEO), affects astronauts' and Spaceflight Participants' emotions. However, a more refined understanding of this topic will become especially relevant as national and international space agencies increase the duration of manned space missions, and as the private sector fully enters the aerospace arena. In this paper, we analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the four main types of interventions for dealing with the stressors associated with human spaceflight (i.e., ergonomic, physiological, psychological, and psychosocial), and then elaborate on a psychosocial intervention

Acta Astronautica, Oct 1, 2012

Introduction: Salutogenesis and posttraumatic growth represent personal growth and improved funct... more Introduction: Salutogenesis and posttraumatic growth represent personal growth and improved functioning as a result of experiencing major challenging events. These developments are not simply resilience (a return to a baseline level of well-being), but positive change in such characteristics as self-understanding, relations with others, personal values, and life goals. Space agencies and space psychologists, primarily concerned with deleterious effects and their countermeasures, have not paid much attention to such beneficial long-term aftereffects of spaceflight. Purpose: To document what changes veterans of the Soviet/Russian space program report as a consequence of their experiences. Method: Twenty retired male cosmonauts Mir and/or ISS cosmonauts filled out relevant self-report questionnaires. Results: Although there was little change in the relative rankings of a list of values, the scale showed an overall increase in the rated importance of all personal values, although only the increase in Self-Direction reached statistical significance. Responses to one of two post-space growth questionnaires based on the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) were compared to the means of two comparison groups: 152 first-time mothers, and 926 respondents who had experienced various forms of trauma. The cosmonauts reported higher scores on the dimension of New Possibilities when compared to the new mothers and the traumatized group, and higher scores on Personal Strength and Overall PTG compared to the latter. Respondents who had spent more than a year in space, and those who flew on both Mir and ISS, were the most likely to report positive change in the domain Appreciation of Life. The other postspace career questionnaire reflected major changes in Perceptions of the Earth and of Space, and increases on a number of other dimensions, including New Possibilities and Changes in Daily Life, with positive scores that significantly exceeded the original report. Discussion: It appears that cosmonauts do experience various aspects of positive personal growth following their space flights. As long-duration missions are (and will remain) the norm, it is important for the space agencies and the voyagers themselves to develop a better understanding and possible enhancement of this phenomenon.

Environment and Behavior, 2000

Suedfeld, Weiss / GUEST EDITORS' COMMENTS GUEST EDITORS' COMMENTS The Antarctic continent constit... more Suedfeld, Weiss / GUEST EDITORS' COMMENTS GUEST EDITORS' COMMENTS The Antarctic continent constitutes an interesting anomaly in the psyche of humanity. Thousands of people have been there as adventurers, scientists, workers, and increasingly, as tourists. At least within the past 40 years-that is, as far back as most of these visitors can recall-sojourns on the ice have been relatively comfortable and safe. Accidents do happen, but they are probably only somewhat more likely than elsewhere. Many are of the same sort as might occur in any city, factory, or construction project: heavy equipment overturning or falling, aircraft crashing, toxic liquids or gases being inadvertently released. Food, shelter, heat, and water are in reasonable supply. The largest community, McMurdo Station, has pay phones, a bus service, a bowling alley, and more TV channels than New Zealand. In spite of these mundane aspects of the place, its mystique persists. The heroic histories of Scott, Amundsen, Shackleton, Byrd, Mawson, and their counterparts from many other countries continue to define the Antarctic experience in our minds. Even now, some daredevils make life harder and more dangerous for themselves by trekking across the continent on skis and sledges. Perhaps unconsciously, when we think of Antarctica, our minds are pervaded by the aura of privation and danger. A recent book is promoted by its publisher with phrases such as "journey into the white heart of a continent that few dare to explore" and "only those whose hearts are stout, whose bodies are strong, and whose minds are determined will survive." These are comments that are out of date by decades, but they seem reasonable enough to most readers. What is the environment really like, and what does it take to survive, function, and thrive in it? Under present-day conditions, going there does not mean playing dice with death; on the other hand, it is not a stroll around the park either. Especially for those who work there and who stay for periods of months or years, Antarctica poses interesting and occasionally threatening challenges. It is a prototypical extreme and unusual environment, different both psychologically and physically from those to which we are accustomed. This is especially true in the long austral winter, when some stations come close to what it might be like to live in a lunar or Martian base.

Acta Astronautica, Aug 1, 2018

The space career requires numerous absences from the cosmonaut's family during training and space... more The space career requires numerous absences from the cosmonaut's family during training and spaceflight. Such absences mean missing important milestones, events, and celebrations in the lives of their children. This study assesses retired cosmonauts' views of actual and desired involvement with their children during their spaceflight career. The Father Involvement Scale (adapted from Finley & Schwartz, 2004; Hawkins et al., 2002), translated into Russian, was answered by 17 retired cosmonauts. The 20 domains in the scale included 10 Expressive (e.g., intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual development; sharing activities and interests) and 10 Instrumental (e.g., providing income, being protective, discipline, school/homework, and developing responsibility, independence, and competence). The cosmonauts' ratings of actual involvement with their children's lives was between Sometimes involved and Often involved (M = 3.66, SD = 0.42). None of the cosmonauts indicated Never involved for any of the Expressive domains or for seven of the ten Instrumental domains. Within the Expressive domains, the majority of cosmonauts said they were "often" involved in their child's spiritual development and in sharing activities/interests. Within the Instrumental domains, they were "often" involved in discipline and "always" involved in providing income. The areas in which they wished they had been "much more involved" than they had been were Expressive, rather than Instrumental: intellectual, spiritual, and physical development; sharing activities/interests, and companionship. This is the first study to measure retrospective assessments of father involvement during spaceflight careers. Space agencies should consider how Family Support personnel can enhance the parental involvement of future spacefarers.

Acta Astronautica, May 1, 2018

Motivational patterns have been shown to be related to outcomes such as occupational success and ... more Motivational patterns have been shown to be related to outcomes such as occupational success and satisfaction, innovation, aggressiveness, cooperation, and conformity. They are likely to be important in adaptation to the demands of flying in a space crew. Autobiographical interviews with 20 retired long-duration male cosmonauts were scored for references to three core motives: the needs for Achievement, Power, and Affiliation. Overall, the cosmonauts mentioned need for Affiliation most often, followed by need for Achievement, with need for Power the least frequently mentioned. However, need for Power increased between reminiscences of one's preflight career to those concerning the in-flight and post-flight periods. Imagery related to both other needs decreased. Cosmonauts who had spent less than a year in space mentioned need for Achievement significantly more frequently than those who had spent more than a year. Other space-experience and demographic variables, and changes across pairs of career phases, were not significant. The high scores for need for Affiliation indicate the importance of selecting compatible teams and fostering friendship and cooperation during training and deployment. A relatively flat hierarchical organization would be harmonious with low Power motivation; but the increase during missions indicates a desire for autonomy. After retirement from spaceflight, former space crews should be afforded opportunities for leadership and decision-making to satisfy continuing need for Power. Comparison is made to the same measures applied to a sample of ISS crewmembers, and to the ISS vs. veteran data for 8 cosmonauts who were included in both sets of data. Acronyms/Abbreviations Thematic content analysis (TCA), Motive imagery (MI), need for Achievement (nAch), need for Affiliation (nAff), need for Power (nPow), ICE[s] (isolated, confined environment[s]), International Space Station (ISS), Long-term Effects After Prolonged Spaceflight (LEAPS).

Acta Astronautica, Dec 1, 2012

Anecdotal evidence and qualitative research attest to the importance of work-family interactions ... more Anecdotal evidence and qualitative research attest to the importance of work-family interactions pre-, during and post-missions. This study uses thematic content analysis to quantify characteristics of work-family interactions and how these changed by stage of cosmonauts' career, identifying the effect of space career variables (e.g., time in space and station) on such interactions during and post-career. Using a thematic scoring scheme developed for this study, we coded work-family interactions identified from interviews with 20 retired male cosmonauts. The majority of work-family interactions were ones in which work overlapped into family life and work hindered or interfered with the family situation. The most common resolution was that family adjusted to work, and the mood or tone about this outcome was almost equally divided among negative, positive and neutral. Changes in work-family interactions and their resolution over the cosmonaut's life showed that the significant interactions were most evident during the cosmonaut career. Although the cosmonaut career has high work demands, it did adjust for family when the need arose. The Russian Space Agency (RKS) eased the impact of the periodic absences, especially through regular communication sessions. Positive work-family interactions, i.e., work or family helping the opposite role, were more likely for those who had been on ISS, not Mir, and for those whose last flight was after 2000. Our data reflect retired cosmonauts' recollections of work-family interactions during their career. Examples of work overlapping into family life and work viewed as interfering with family life were possibly more salient or better remembered than work or family helping the other role.

Acta Astronautica, May 1, 2015

Coping is a dynamic physiological and psychological process in response to perceived environmenta... more Coping is a dynamic physiological and psychological process in response to perceived environmental stress that functions to restore physiological homeostasis and reduce negative affect [1]. Thematic content analysis was employed for references to 13 well-established coping strategies in interviews with 20 retired long-duration male cosmonauts. As in previous research with other space samples [2,3] the retired cosmonauts mentioned Problem-Oriented strategies more frequently than Emotion-Oriented ones. In the present sample, Seeking Social Support, Planful Problem Solving and Endurance/Obedience/Effort were the top three most mentioned coping strategies. Cosmonauts who had spent more than a year in space, compared to those who had spent less than a year, mentioned using Planful Problem Solving more as they recalled their career and retirement. Examining changes over time, spaceflight had a positive effect on Accepting Responsibility. Endurance/Obedience/Effort steadily decreased over time, while we found an inverted-U pattern for Distancing and Self-Control. Additional results in relation to other astronaut samples and the relationship between coping and post-flight growth are discussed.

Environment and Behavior, 2000

This introduction to the special issue traces the history of psychosocial concerns related to Ant... more This introduction to the special issue traces the history of psychosocial concerns related to Antarctic exploration, from the heroic age of early explorers through the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957 to 1958 to recent and current systematic research projects. The introduction discusses the organization and topics of international psychological investigations in polar stations and summarizes the articles that follow. Living in Antarctica imposes some unusual restrictions as well as opportunities, and it requires psychological adaptation to extreme environmental circumstances. The thrust of previous scientific and popular literature has been to focus on the negative effects of the situation and ignore the positive ones; however, ongoing studies are bringing about a more balanced view. Having an accurate understanding is important not only intrinsically and for appropriate application in the Antarctic itself but also in analogous extreme and unusual environments. These include extended space flight and space habitation, such as the projected voyage to Mars.

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Oct 25, 2021

The neurological and psychological characteristics of adolescence make adolescents particularly v... more The neurological and psychological characteristics of adolescence make adolescents particularly vulnerable to recruitment tactics employed by fringe and antisocial groups. ISIL is not the first group to take advantage of adolescents’ vulnerabilities, but the group has become particularly adept at doing so. Undermining their influence among potential recruits in this age range requires an understanding of the adolescents’ state of mind and brain; counter-messages that are intuitively appealing to older adults may be ineffective, or even counter-productive among this audience. In particular, messages directed to adolescents should (1) focus on emotionally impactful messages instead of logical arguments, (2) avoid emphasizing the risks associated with joining ISIL, and (3) undermine ISIL’s claims to provide belongingness and peer affiliation and provide alternate means for social acceptance. Introduction On February 23, 2016 the government of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region repor...

This report suggests potential types of actions and messages most likely to influence and deter B... more This report suggests potential types of actions and messages most likely to influence and deter Bashar al-Assad from using force in the ongoing Syrian civil war. This preliminary study is based on multidisciplinary analyses of Bashar al-Assad’s speeches, and how he reacts to real events and verbal messages from external sources. The results are summarized in a two-part report. Part I (this document) provides a preliminary summary, comparison of results, and recommendations. Part II gives a detailed description of each analytical approach. Data: The speeches used in the study were delivered by al-Assad from Jan 2000 to Sept 2013; the past six years was sampled most densely. Additional Twitter feeds were analyzed to gauge his influence in the region. Analytical Approaches: Five separate methods analyzed the speeches: (a) automated text analytics that profile al-Assad’s decision making style and ability to appreciate alternative viewpoints; (b) integrative complexity (IC) analysis that...

Data in Brief, 2020

The data presented in this article relate to the research article entitled "assessing psychologic... more The data presented in this article relate to the research article entitled "assessing psychological adaptation during polar winterovers: The isolated and confined environments questionnaire (ICE-Q)" [1]. These data were acquired in order to develop a standardized instrument e the ICE-Q e designed to assess psychological adaptation within isolated, confined, and extreme environments. A total of 140 winterers from several sub-Antarctic (Amsterdam, Crozet, Kerguelen) and Antarctic (Concordia, Terre Ad elie) stations voluntarily participated. Data were collected by multiple self-report questionnaires including a wide variety of well-known and validated questionnaires to record the winterers' responses to polar stations. Data were gathered across two or three winter seasons within each of the 5 polar stations to ensure sufficiently large sample. From four to seven measurement time along a one-year period were proposed to the participants, resulting in 479 momentary assessments. Results of exploratory factor analyses, confirmatory factor analyses, exploratory structural equation modelling, reliability analyses, and test-retest provided strong evidence for the construct validity of the ICE-Q (19eitem 4-factor questionnaire). The four factors were social, emotional, occupational and physical. Future studies would examine the dynamic of

Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2019

Stressors in Isolated, Confined, Extreme environments (ICE environments) pose important challenge... more Stressors in Isolated, Confined, Extreme environments (ICE environments) pose important challenges to psychological adaptation, whose assessment is therefore an important research issue. This article describes a standardized instrument, the ICE-Q, to help evaluate individual differences in adaptation to ICE environments. Several groups (n=140), each spending one year in sub-Antarctic or Antarctic stations, completed a questionnaire. Factor analyses provided strong evidence for the construct validity of the ICE-Q. The most salient factors were (a) social (e.g., relationships, social support), (b) emotional (e.g., emotional changes, boredom), (c) occupational (e.g., level of investment in work and leisure activities) and (d) physical (e.g., fatigue, well-being). Complementing other methods, this short, quick, cost-effective and non-invasive measure could serve to (1) monitor psychological adaptation within the four key domains, and (2) assess methods used to facilitate adaptation to extreme situations and enhance the health and well-being of participants.