Collaborative Research: Social Structure, Agreement, and Conflict in Groups in Extreme and Isolated Environments: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

9610231帕林卡斯尽管进行了大量研究，但关于南极群体结构对冲突和心理健康的影响以及个人对这种结构的理解知之甚少。我们研究的第一部分解决了三个具体的问题：1)在极端和与世隔绝的环境中共同工作和生活的个人之间的社会关系有什么特点？2)个人对他们的群体有什么理解，这种理解是如何发展的，它是如何在社会上分布的？3)这种理解与个人和群体的表现之间有什么关系？在拟议的第二部分中，我们希望确定在上述因素在这些群体的运作中所起的作用方面，不同文化背景之间是否存在重大差异。如果我们要提高我们对个人和群体如何适应极端环境的了解，特别是关于跨文化的相似和不同，这些问题的答案是重要的。这项研究计划拟议的新部分的总体目标是比较和对比美国阿蒙森-斯科特南极站和四个不同文化背景的南极组的群体动态：印度的迈特里站、中国的长城站、俄罗斯的沃斯托克站和波兰的阿尔克托夫斯基站。四个站点将连续三年收集关于群体结构的形成、地位和角色共识、感知的社会冲突、群体士气和个人心理幸福感的定量和定性数据。将开发关于基团结构形成的定量模型。此外，在研究社会网络和文化内变异的方法论方面的最新进展将允许检验一些有关跨文化背景下的认知、社会结构和群体功能方面的相关假设。这项研究将：1)从理论上理解社会结构和认知在群体隔离中的作用；2)补充目前关于极地环境中健康和适应的工作；3)提供群体结构形成的模型，这将有助于为南极和其他与世隔绝的环境(如空间站)制定改进的群体组建程序；4)能够有效地比较孤立和极端环境中人类群体动态的跨文化差异。

9610231 Palinkas Despite a vast amount of research, little is known concerning the effect of group structure, and individuals' understanding of that structure, on conflict and psychological well-being in Antarctic groups. The first segment of our research endeavor has addressed three specific questions: 1) What are the characteristics of the social relations among individuals working and living together in extreme and isolated environments?; 2) What do individuals understand about their group, how does that understanding develop, and how is it socially distributed?; and 3) What is the relationship between that understanding and both individual and group performance? In the proposed second segment, we wish to determine whether there is significant variation from one cultural setting to another in terms of the role the above factors play in the functioning of these groups. Answers to these questions are important if we are to advance our knowledge of how individuals and groups adapt to extreme environments, particularly with respect to cross-cultural similarities and differences. The overall objective of the proposed new segment of this research program is to compare and contrast the group dynamics at the United States Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station with four culturally distinct Antarctic groups: India's Maitri Station, China's Great Wall Station, Russia's Vostok Station, and Poland's Arctowski Station. Both quantitative and qualitative data will be collected on the formation of group structure, status and role consensus, perceived social conflict, group morale, and individual psychological well-being for three consecutive years at the four stations. Quantitative models on the formation of group structure will be developed. In addition, recent methodological developments in the study of social networks and intracultural variation will allow for the testing of a number of related hypotheses concerning aspects of cognition, social structure, and grou p functioning in a cross-cultural context. This study will: 1) contribute significantly to the theoretical understanding of the role of social structure and cognition in the functioning of groups in isolation, 2) complement current work on health and adaptation in polar environments, 3) provide for models of the formation of group structure that will aid in the development of improved procedures for assembling groups for the Antarctic and other isolated environments (e.g. space stations), and 4) allow for the valid comparison of intercultural variation in human group dynamics in isolated and extreme environments.