Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Images
Experiment/Payload OverviewBehavioral Issues Associated with Isolation and Confinement: Review and Analysis of Astronaut Journals (Journals), is studying the behavioral effects of life in isolation and confinement using surveys and journals kept by the crew. By quantifying the importance of behavioral issues to long-duration crews, the study will help NASA design equipment and procedures to allow astronauts to best cope with isolation and long-duration space flight.
Principal InvestigatorNo Information Available
Payload DeveloperJohnson Space Center, Human Research Program, Houston, TX
Sponsoring AgencyNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Expeditions Assigned|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|
Previous ISS MissionsJournals have been performed continuously on ISS since Expedition 8.
A previous content analysis of journals maintained during long-duration expeditions on Earth (e.g., to the Antarctic) provided quantitative data on which to base a rank-ordering of behavioral issues in terms of importance. Journals uses the same content evaluation techniques on journals kept by ISS crewmembers. The objective is to identify equipment, habitat, and procedural features that can help humans when adjusting to isolation and confinement while ensuring they remain effective and productive during future long-duration space flights.
While on orbit, crewmembers make journal entries at least three times a week in a personal journal. In format, their journal can be either electronic (i.e., using an ISS laptop) or paper. In addition to the journal entries, participating crewmembers complete a brief electronic questionnaire at the mid-point of their Expeditions.
Studies on Earth have shown that analyzing the content of journals and diaries is an effective means of identifying issues that are most important to the person recording his or her thoughts. The method is based on the assumption that the frequency that an issue is mentioned in a journal reflects the importance of that issue or category to the writer. The tone of each entry (positive, negative, or neutral) and phase of the Expedition are also variables of interest. Study results will lead to recommendations for the design of equipment, facilities, procedures, and training to help sustain behavioral adjustment and performance during long-duration Expeditions on ISS, or to the moon, Mars, and beyond. These studies can also assist on Earth with Antarctic missions, service on submarines, etc., anywhere humans choose to work in confinement or isolation.
Studies conducted on Earth have shown that analyzing the content of journals and diaries is an effective method for identifying the issues that are most important to a person. The method is based on the reasonable assumption that the frequency that an issue or category of issues is mentioned in a journal reflects the importance of that issue or category to the writer. The tone of each entry (positive, negative, or neutral) and phase of the expedition also are variables of interest. Study results will lead to recommendations for the design of equipment, facilities, procedures, and training to help sustain behavioral adjustment and performance during long-duration space expeditions to the ISS, Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Earth ApplicationsResults from this study could help to improve the behavioral performance of people living and working under similar isolated conditions here on Earth.
While on orbit, crewmembers will make journal entries at least 3 times per week in a personal journal. The journal will be downlinked to the PI on the last Monday of each month and one final time at the end of the increment via encrypted transmission. A total of ten crewmembers are needed as subjects in the Journals investigation.
Operational ProtocolsThe journal can either be electronic (e.g. using a laptop) or it can be a paper journal (e.g. using a Green Record Book). In addition to the journal entries, the crewmembers will also complete a very brief questionnaire at the mid-point of their expeditions. The questionnaire only exists in an electronic form.
Data collection is ongoing, and the results will be analyzed when all of the journals are available.