Human Performance and Adaptation in Polar Environments

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Failure to adapt to prolonged isolation and extreme conditions of polar environments can have adverse consequences for both the individual and the organization. Despite decades of research, the identification of social and psychological characteristics associated with successful adaptation and performance in these settings remains problematic. Building upon the results of preliminary work conducted both in Antarctica and in the Canadian High Arctic, the proposed study will focus on social and psychological characteristics that predict performance and adaptation in both polar regions. Research will be conducted at McMurdo Station in Antarctica and four Atmospheric Environmental Service weather stations in the Canadian High Arctic using a battery of psychological screening instruments and a standardized debriefing protocol. This study will add to our understanding of the social and psychological sequellae of adaptation and adjustment in polar regions contributing to group morale and well-being, improved safety, and performance in these regions. In addition, the research will explicate fundamental interrelationships among environmental stress, coping resources, personality traits, and performance, and provide a growing data base for comparative and cross-cultural studies of adaptation and performance in polar environments.