PROCESSING OF FINDINGS
Although psychological and psychosocial stressors are almost the same, there is a difference: psychological stressors are stressors that relate strictly to the person, although the results may affect other people. Psychosocial stressors originate not only from the person, but also from the people around him.
In this discussion of the findings, I will discuss the results mostly in the context of the proposed Mars mission. This is because most of the studies from which I have obtained my results have conducted their study for specific reference in a future Mars mission. Another reason for giving a Mars mission more attention is because psychology and psychosociology will play a far more prominent role in such a mission
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Space is a harsh environment: temperatures range from minus 150 to 150 degrees Celsius and there is no air pressure. Add to this the risk of cosmic radiation and solar flares and you can understand why astronauts are stressed. This, combined with the fact that they are confined to a small space, can lead to claustrophobia, irritation, anxiety and sleep deprivation.
Sleep deprivation is also a problem. Since there is no natural cycle of night and day in space, astronauts find it hard to fall asleep, and generally tend to sleep only when they feel tired. This creates a very irregular pattern and the mind finds it hard to adapt. This results in lack of judgement, an inability to think straight and general irritation.
A normal lifestyle is what helps you feel good: good hygiene, good food, nice hobbies, and visiting friends. In space, many of these things are not possible, which results in astronauts feeling worse and worse about themselves. This, in turn, makes them become irritable and illogical and prone to moodiness and
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Since all races and cultures do certain things in a different way, these differences can lead to disagreement and friction, which boosts stress levels into the red. However, some races complement each other, and so their differences allow them to get on well. Astronaut selectors look especially for this especially: they want a crew who are not the same but fit together well.
Another potential cause of stress and depression is the ‘third quarter effect’, which is a feeling of depression when you get to the halfway mark of the journey and realise that you have a whole another half to go. This is an effect that is generated purely by the mind: the second half is no longer than the first, but your mind seems to despair with the thought of having to go through another half. The best prevention for this effect is awareness and optimism: it the astronaut is aware that the feelings may come and takes active steps to counter them, the effect should be nullified.
These are the causes and results of changes in an astronauts’ psychology on a long duration space mission. Although the psychological challenges seem to be many, they are not insurmountable and can be largely nullified through good preparation and rigorous
Therefore, prolonged stress included adverse psychological and physical health effects as well as the increased risk of premature death (Denollet, J., et al.
Jones, F, Bright, J, Clow, A (2001). Stress: myth, theory and research. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. p. 10.
This can be seen in the text where Ross writes, “Space travel is hard physically; in addition, being isolated for a long period of time can be tough mentally” (Ross). It can be hard because people’s bodies would go through so many different changes. It could be hard mentally because Ross says, “So what happens to the body in space? For starters, muscles weaken and bones grow brittle” (Ross). Overtime, it might be enough to kill humans or make them so weak they couldn’t walk.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Each bodily physiological system has an individual established set point, or level of balance; however, some fluctuations in these levels are tolerated. The balance of any system can be, and regularly is, disturbed by internal and/or external events of the mechanical, physical, chemical, biological, and/or social types. When this balance is disrupted, and involuntary mobilizations of biological processes are not able to re-establish it, an alarm reaction is activated (Schedlowski and Tewes, 1999). This reaction is referred to as a stress response, and the activating agent is the stressor (Selye, 1936). Recently, studies of stress have shifted from demonstrating relationships between psychological factors and somatic outcomes, to investigations of the mediational pathways involved in these associations. For example, (Cohen and Williamson, 1991) have built on the work of Lazarus’ model by suggesting that once an environmental event is encountered, it is appraised, and an affective response is made.
them even die years before they should because of the stress that is brought on
Space has lots of radiation. Exposure to space radiation can have a bad effect on a person’s health. Support C: Travelling and exploring space can actually endanger the life of an astronaut. THIRD POINT:
During their entire adult lives they got told when to eat, when to work, etc. By them doing these tasks, it tires their bodies so they can easily do whatever they were told to do. They also get told when to go to nightly propaganda plays so they can drill the society, philosophy in their head so they’re unable to think for themselves.
The general populations of each country have different traits and characteristics. This signifies the cultural differences between ISS personnel, such differences can cause impairment, distress and inability to function. Such problems can be of high risk at the station, therefore, in order to counteract the same, mission-relevant cultural differences are reviewed including cultural values, emotional expressivity, personal space norms, and personality characteristics. This is done to ensure individual and interpersonal functioning of the crew members and mission control personnel is not hampered. Cultural factors and differences are always checked and resolved in order to ensure harmony and a utopic state of function for maximum achievement.
The first requirement for astronauts is health. You are not aloud to have any disease, because many malfunctions can happen in space. “All astronauts must pass a NASA physical, with specific vision and blood pressure requirement.”(Baker, 2009) NASA has to make sure they will withstand
The term “stress” has multiple meanings. As Richard Lazarus stated in his 1966 book “Psycho...
malfunctions, and psychological problems brought on by isolation. The solution to radiation exposure is to have proper shielding for the astronauts. The physiological problems faced by humans in a weightless environment could be eliminated entirely, if they had artificial gravity. If some type of malfunction were to occur on the spacecraft, or the temporary settlement on Mars, it would be prudent for the astronauts to have an emergency escape vessel. Also, providing some type of normality for the astronauts while in space and on Mars, like artificial gravity, books to read, movies to watch, games to play, and the creation of a weekly support group, would promote a healthy psychological mindset.
"Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress; 75 to 90 percent of all physician office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints; stress is linked to the six leading causes of death--heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide." (Miller, 1993, p.12) " Stress plays havoc with our health, our productivity, our pocketbooks, and our lives, but it is necessary, even desirable." (Oxford, 1998, p.29)
The connection between stressors and stress responses, however, is not as straight forward as it may seem. Mediating processes, for instance, stand in between stressors and stress responses. Whether stressors lead to stress responses depends on mediating processes like how people appraise potential stressors and how well people are able to cope with the negative impact of stressors. Furthermore, a number of moderating factors, such as personality traits and health habits, influence the the links between stressors and stress responses. These mediating processes and moderating factors help determine whether people experience stress-related problems like burnout, mental disorders, and physical illness and are the focus of many stress management techniques that emphasize cognitive-behavioral approaches, relaxation, exercise, diet and nutrition, and medication.
then lead to mental health issues in their adolescent and adult years. Being able to
A third negative psychological effect of long term space travel is insomnia. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, insomnia can be defined as a sleep disorder in which there is an inability to fall asleep or to stay asleep as long as desired.