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

9610231 Palinkas尽管有大量的研究，但对南极群体的群体结构和个人对这种结构的理解对冲突和心理健康的影响知之甚少。 我们的研究奋进的第一部分解决了三个具体的问题：1）在极端和孤立的环境中工作和生活在一起的个人之间的社会关系的特点是什么？2)个体对群体的理解是什么，这种理解是如何发展的，以及这种理解在社会上是如何分布的？ 3）这种理解与个人和群体绩效之间的关系是什么？ 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。 如果我们要进一步了解个人和群体如何适应极端环境，特别是在跨文化的相似性和差异方面，回答这些问题是很重要的。 这项研究计划拟议的新部分的总体目标是将美国阿蒙森-斯科特南极站的群体动态与四个文化上不同的南极群体进行比较和对比：印度的迈特里站、中国的长城站、俄罗斯的东方站和波兰的Arctowski站。 研究将连续三年在四个工作站收集有关群体结构形成、地位和角色共识、感知社会冲突、群体士气和个人心理健康的定量和定性数据。 将开发关于群体结构形成的定量模型。 此外，最近在社交网络和文化内变异的研究方法的发展，将允许测试的认知，社会结构和格鲁p功能方面的跨文化背景下的一些相关的假设。 这项研究将：1）对社会结构和认知在孤立群体运作中的作用的理论理解做出了重大贡献，2）补充了目前关于极地环境中健康和适应的工作，3）提供了群体结构形成的模型，这将有助于发展改进的 程序组装组南极和其他孤立的环境（如空间站），和4）允许有效的比较在孤立和极端环境中的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.