#Social #interactions in #isolated, #confined, and #extreme #environments: a study of #Antarctic #winter teams using #wearable #sensors

@PNASNews
#OpenAccess

"Teams living and working in isolated, confined, and extreme (ICE) environments—such as Antarctic stations or future missions to the Moon and Mars—face unique psychological and social challenges. Yet longitudinal, #HighResolution data on how #SocialInteractions and team functioning evolve during prolonged real-world isolation remain scarce. Using wearable #proximity sensors and repeated #psychological #assessments during a 10-mo Antarctic overwintering mission, here is a detailed account of how social contact, cohesion, conflict, and feelings of loneliness and mistrust change over time. The findings reveal emerging interpersonal strain, subgroup formation, and increased suspiciousness despite close physical proximity. These results highlight critical psychosocial risks for teams in ICE environments and the value of continuous, objective monitoring of crew dynamics."

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2533420123