Peculiarities of interpersonal relationships of Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions participants

• Published in: Mental Health: Global Challenges Journal
• Main Author: Bakhmutova, Larysa
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: NDSAN (MFC – coordinator of the NDSAN) 2020
• Subjects: psychophysiological and emotional changes; socio-spatial isolation in a small group; interpersonal relationships; well-being; mental health; extreme conditions; winterers; Antarctica; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: http://www.mhgcj.org/index.php/MHGCJ/article/view/96

Introduction: Extreme conditions of the Antarctic environment is affected both on the psychophysiological state of peoples and interpersonal relationships in a small group of winterers. Purpose: To determinate the peculiarities of interpersonal relations in an isolated small group of winterers of Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions Methodology: The study was conducted by diagnostic Technique for interpersonal relationships T. Leary for self-assessment of behavior (Leary, 1957). The predominant type of relations in the group of winterers was revealed as a component of interpersonal interaction. Monitoring was carried out in the last three years in the dynamics of "before" and "after" the expedition. Results and Discussion: The study identified the relationship of "dominance" prevails in 70% of winterers before the expedition and increases to 84% on the end of expedition. 73% of winterers to establish friendly relations and cooperation. However, we observe a transition from friendliness at the beginning of the expedition to a gradual increase in aggression in interpersonal relationships after returning from the expedition by 17%. During the expedition (in the dynamics) we observed a gradual decrease in the average indicators of "subordination" and "dependence" as factors of interpersonal relations "dominance" and "aggression". There significant inverse correlation between the level of adaptation to the extreme conditions of Antarctica and the dependent type of relationship (r = - 0.63 *; p = 0.04). According to the expert assessment, such people have problem with adaptation to the environment of Antarctica and could be complicated relations and interaction in an isolated group of winterers. Conclusions: 1) The "friendliness" and "dominance" are the predominant type of relationship in a small group of winterers: 2) The authoritarianism, aggression, selfishness and dependence are the inadmissible and undesirable types of interpersonal relations in extreme conditions of relative isolation on the Antarctic station