Sociocultural Influences on Psychosocial Adjustment in Antarctica

Psychological stress is a 'normal' part of wintering-over in the Antarctic given the unusual living conditions of small groups, the harsh environment, and the prolonged isolation from outside contact. The degree of stress, however, is influenced by different sociocultural factors. Three in...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Palinkas, Lawrence A.
Other Authors: NAVAL HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER SAN DIEGO CA
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1985
Subjects:
Sociology and Law
Psychology
*ISOLATION
*ADAPTATION
*ANTARCTIC REGIONS
*STRESS(PSYCHOLOGY)
*GROUP DYNAMICS
PERSONNEL
CONFINEMENT(GENERAL)
PERCEPTION
PERSONALITY
CULTURE
HOMOGENEITY
LIVING STANDARDS
STRATEGY
ENVIRONMENTS
STATIONS
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
STRESSES
CONTROL
SMALL GROUPS
PE61152N
WU6035
Antarctic
The Antarctic
Antarc*
Antarctica
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA165988
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA165988
Description
Summary:Psychological stress is a 'normal' part of wintering-over in the Antarctic given the unusual living conditions of small groups, the harsh environment, and the prolonged isolation from outside contact. The degree of stress, however, is influenced by different sociocultural factors. Three in particular are examined in this paper: (1) those located in the individual personality; (2) those located in the sociocultural backgrounds of station personnel; and (3) those located in the sociocultural systems of the stations themselves. Certain conflicts emerge from the interaction of these influences. The process of social comparison which fosters group homogeneity also generates perceptions of relative control over the social environment and self-esteem. Those people who perceive themselves to be powerless or helpless because they cannot exercise autonomy in either a social or a psychological sense have the greatest difficulty in adjusting to the Antarctic environment. Resources enabling one to deal with similar conflicts in the outside world are absent here, while strategies such as social isolation may be viewed as adaptive in this particular environment. Other processes, such as values, group behavior, and group identity serve to bring together a group of individuals whose sociocultural and personality idiosyncracies are integrated into a cultural form common to the confined or isolated group.

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