Selection and psychological adjustment of individuals living in small isolated groups in the French Antarctic stations

Perceptions of Danger, Risk Taking, and Outcomes in a Remote Community

“…Both studies found that personal attributes such as intelligence, marital status (unmarried), and previous Antarctic experience contributed to good performance. Crocq, Rivolier, and Cazes (1973) also found that intelligence affected adjustment but that age was not relevant. The International Biomedical Expedition to Antarctica (IBEA) study showed that prior polar experience, and not age, affected performance outcomes, although both affected stress and arousal levels (higher for the older participants) (Rivolier, Goldsmith, Lugg, & Taylor, 1988;Taylor & McCormick, 1985).…”

“…The effect of occupation on work performance and adaptation shows differences between U.S. naval personnel and civilians (Taylor, 1987), and for performance and health outcomes (Gunderson & Mahan, 1966;Palinkas, 1989). Occupational differences were also found with respect to job morale (Doll & Gunderson, 1969) and motivation and adjustment (Crocq et al, 1973). Similarly, service-civilian differences were found in risk perceptions of Antarctic service among women (Rothblum et al, 1995).…”

“…Further factors in risk profiles for Antarctic living arise from the fact that the human challenges in Antarctica are not only physical but also psychosocial (e.g., Crocq et al, 1973;Godwin, 1991;Palinkas, 1989;Shurley, 1973;Taylor, 1987). Two main groupings of psychosocial factors can be distinguished.…”

Personnel Selection and Training

“…Table 2 shows the types of training and selection and which states provide them. France uses an interview with a psychiatrist, as well as intelligence and personality tests (Crocq, Rivolier, & Cazes, 1973).…”

Prediction of performance on the International Biomedical Expedition to the Antarctic (IBEA)

“…2) clinical: personal, interpersonal and occupational predictions made separately by the examining psychologist and two independent clinical psychologists on specially designed Adaptability Rating Scales (ADQ) (Cazes and others, in preparation). The ADQ had been used extensively by Crocq and others (1973) in polar research and had been modified and translated for use in the present study. For logistic reasons only the examining psychologist was able to conduct the interviews and administer the tests, and for the purpose of the enhancing objectivity and reliability' he did not disclose the additional information to other researchers at the time.…”