title: Psychological changes and group dynamics during confinement in an isolated environment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cultural and personal traits will become important as the number of short-duration spaceflights of international crews supporting the International Space Station (ISS) increases and more people begin staying aboard ISS for longer durations. This project investigated the interpersonal and personal changes of Japanese subjects during a 1-wk stay in the Japanese Experiment Module. The Giebetaen Test (GT) was used to determine if the cultural background and personality traits of the subjects become more explicit and stronger during isolation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six males and two females aged 22-28 yr participated in the study. They stayed 7 d in the isolation chamber at the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The GT was chosen as an individual and group diagnostic instrument; it was administrated four times during, and one time after, isolation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the GT-self-picture, subjects exhibited a change toward negative social resonance and social withdrawal. Subgroups formed but caused no isolation or tension. The GT-foreign-pictures showed that the judgment of other subjects changed toward hedonic and permeability directions. The common interpersonal relationships of the Japanese subjects influenced the group dynamics. These relationships tend to be integrative and tend to support the network and value systems, emphasizing connectedness and minimizing differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cultural background became more explicit and stronger during isolation. Based on this, isolation studies with international crews and intercultural training will be necessary for international crews performing both short- and long-duration missions.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research and Operations Office, National Space Development Agency of Japan, Tsukuba Space Center, Ibaraki. Norbert.Kraft@nasda.go.jp
authors.forename: Norbert O
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Kraft
authors.forename: Natsuhiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Koh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohshima
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murai
authors.forename: Chiharu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sekiguchi
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003469:Culture; D018504:Ecological Systems, Closed; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology*; D013026:Space Flight; D018561:Space Simulation