title: Distributed communication and psychosocial performance in simulated space dwelling groups.
abstract: The present report describes the development and application of a distributed interactive multi-person simulation in a computer-generated planetary environment as an experimental test bed for modeling the human performance effects of variations in the types of communication modes available, and in the types of stress and incentive conditions underlying the completion of mission goals. The results demonstrated a high degree of interchangeability between communication modes(audio, text) when one mode was not available. Additionally, the addition of time pressure stress to complete tasks resulted in a reduction in performance effectiveness, and these performance reductions were ameliorated via the introduction of positive incentives contingent upon improved performances. The results obtained confirmed that cooperative and productive psychosocial interactions can be maintained between individually isolated and dispersed members of simulated spaceflight crews communicating and problem-solving effectively over extended time intervals without the benefit of one another's physical presence.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of Behavioral Biology, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA. bhienz@mail.jhmi.edu
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Hienz
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Brady
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hursh
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Ragusa
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Rouse
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Gasior
mesh_terms: D018480:Astronauts / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D012934:Social Isolation; D013026:Space Flight; D018561:Space Simulation / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014584:User-Computer Interface