Mixed-gender groups: coping strategies and factors of psychological adaptation in a polar environment.

The polar environment is often seen as a good analog for long-term space missions in terms of isolation and confinement. This paper focuses on the psychological adaptation of both the men and women in mixed-gender groups in the French polar station Dumont d'Urville. The first 49 expeditions to this station were composed of men only in groups of 25-30.

[A methodological study in a space flight simulation context].

To study the effects of isolation and confinement on small groups during long space flights, it is habitual to use closed hyperbaric ground chambers. For the first time, the European Space Agency made use of a nautral environment taking advantage of an Antarctic winter-over at the French Dumont d'Urville Station. The main objective of that study ("International Antarctic Psychological Programme"), was to compare different Russian tests used for training cosmonauts to a W.

The relative importance of behavioral issues during long-duration ICE missions.

Previous studies of isolated and confined environments (ICEs) have been unable to assign relative priority to the many behavioral issues affecting participants. The current study analyzed psychologically relevant entries in the journals of nine leaders and physicians of French circumpolar expeditions. More than 100 specific themes emerged, distributed across 22 categories.

Psychological study of a crew in long-term space flight simulation.

This research derives from a 60-day isolation study realized for the European Space Agency (ESA) as a simulation of space flights. Three goals were pursued in this study: (a) to study individual and group responses to the stress factors specific to the simulation; (b) to make a critical comparison of a variety of tools and methods used for this purpose; and (c) to express recommendations for future research. Direct methods (questionnaires, tests) and indirect methods (observation) were used in an individual and a whole group assessment.

Group dynamics during the EXEMSI isolation study. Experimental Campaign for the European Manned Space Infrastructure.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the social behavior, interrelations, cohesion, efficiency and team formation of the crew during 60 days of isolation and confinement, to make a critical comparison of a variety of test methods used for this purpose and to formulate recommendations for their applications in selection, training and support for future studies of this kind. The study consisted of three phases: (1) the pre-isolation period, in which initial individual and group assessment were made to understand the motivation, characteristics, and styles of the crew members, the state of the crew, and to make a prognosis for the behavior of the group and its members, (2) the isolation period, with tests and observations to follow and analyze behavior and group dynamics of the crew, and to detect manifestations of stress, and (3) the post-isolation period with final assessment and debriefing. During these three periods individual and group tests were carried out.