MONITORING GROUP ACTIVITY BY CREWMEMBERS DURING SPACEFLIGHT
(VZAIMODEYSTVIYE)
Research Area: Human Behavior and Performance
Expedition(s): 19- 42
Principal Investigator(s): ● Vadim I. Gushchin, MD, PhD, Institute of Medical and
Biological Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
Moscow, Russia
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Monitoring Group Activity by Crewmembers During Spaceflight (Vzaimodeystviye) obtains new
data on interpersonal interaction and behavioral patterns of the ISS crews during long-term
spaceflight. Results are used to improve the ability of future crew members to interact safely
and effectively with each other and ground support personnel. The results may also be used to
improve methods for crew selection, training, and inflight support.
EARTH BENEFITS
The individual experimental data that
are obtained make it possible to
conduct research on individual
psychological parameters; these can be
used to develop effective and reliable
methods of diagnosing and predicting
the organization level of small groups
having various purposes that are
involved in mutual activities
(expeditions, sports, manufacturing,
experiments, etc.).
SPACE BENEFITS
The results of the Vzaimodeystviye are
used to improve systems for
psychological selection and monitoring
of group activity in flight, and also to
identify sociopsychological problems
and determine the presence of stress in
interpersonal relationships within the
crew. Consideration for the particulars
related to the increasing number of crewmembers, and their different nationalities improves
the effectiveness of joint habitation and work by the crew, particularly during long-term
spaceflights.
ISS037E028227 – Nine crew members gather for a group
portrait in the Kibo laboratory following a joint crew news
conference. Pictured clockwise (from bottom right) are
European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano and NASA
astronaut Karen Nyberg, both Expedition 37 flight engineers;
Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, Expedition 37
commander; Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin, Russian
cosmonaut Sergey Ryazanskiy, NASA astronaut Rick
Mastracchio, Expedition 38 flight engineers; Russian
cosmonaut Oleg Kotov, Expedition 38 commander; Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata and
NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins, both Expedition 38 flight
engineers.