A Psychometric Study of Stress and Coping during the International Biomedical Expedition to the Antarctic (IBEA)

Abstract

A psychometric study was made of stress and coping during the course of the International Biomedical Expedition to Antarctica (IBEA). The stressors were specified by observation, as were the group's behavioral reactions to them, but they produced no significant differences on scales of symptomatology. The repressor/sensitization defensive style of coping was then examined, and although there were grounds for associating repressor tendencies with the low self-reporting of stress, the group sizes were too small to confirm the suggestion statistically. But the question needs now to be taken further, as also does that of laboratory stressors.

Extreme acts

“…65 By the time of the next physiological expedition to Antarctica -a full twenty years later in 1977-78 -the focus had clearly shifted; the 1970s International Biomedical Expedition to the Antarctic did consider adaptation to cold, but only as part of a psychological as well as physiological analysis. 66 Consequently, the Arctic and Antarctic were figured as useful 'natural laboratories' to study 'freak' phenomena such as human responses to 24-hour daylight; the question of human adaptation to cold was, by the 1970s, no longer a pressing physiological research issue.…”

Long-duration space exploration and emotional health: Recommendations for conceptualizing and evaluating risk

“…Polar expedition teams are smaller (e.g., as few as two crew members), but face greater risk than crews at polar research stations, including blizzards, frozen patches, and channels of water. Accordingly, polar expeditions tend to be much briefer than polar research station deployments, with durations ranging from 56-185 days [62][63][64][65][66].…”

Future directions in Antarctic psychology research

“…This should allow the identification of phases at which proactive prevention as well as intervention strategies should be implemented to maximize expeditioner health and performance throughout their Antarctic employment experience. McCormick et al (1985) adopted a similar approach when investigating health and performance of participants in the International Biomedical Expedition to the Antarctic. With the primary aim of preparing participants for the expedition they took measurements prior to departure for Antarctica, during the expedition, and upon return.…”