Long-duration space missions entail that few individuals live and work for a long period in a confined, isolated, extreme and potentially dangerous environment. One of the key questions for research is how these conditions affect individuals¿ emotion, cognition, and the ability to make efficient decisions, which has implications for health and safety. However, it is surprising that what is available to date comes from studies that have considered the ability to make optimal decisions independent of emotions. It is well established that cognitive and emotional processes are intertwined as emotions help our decision-making by biasing our choices away from signals of danger, guide our attention by prioritizing some aspects of the situation over others (Pecchinenda et al. 2016), affect the way events are appraised (e.g. Pecchinenda, 2001), and shape decisions by modulating the salience of different outcomes. In addition, loneliness from isolation may affect the propensity to take risks through similar mechanisms. The proposed longitudinal study builds upon our past findings and aims at clarifying the effects of isolation and extreme environment on emotion and cognition involved in decisions made by crew-members at the Antarctic Concordia Station and by crew-members of the SIRIUS isolation study. By using a multi-measures approach aimed at assessing the effects of extreme conditions on emotion, loneliness, decision-making under uncertainty and known risks (Sdoia & Ferlazzo, 2008; 2012) as well as on psychophysiological and bio-marker measures, our interest is on the early signs of biased processing and decision making with an eye on the possible countermeasures to prevent or limit unfavourable outcomes. Indeed, the recent Sars-Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of self-isolation and social distancing measures necessary to contain contagions, have made this research topic more actual and of wider interest than previously thought.
Research on the effects of isolation and extreme environments on human behavior has been motivated by the establishment of outposts in Antarctica, the Moon, and Mars. In addition, the recent Sars-Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of self-isolation and social distancing measures necessary to contain contagions, have made this research topic more actual and of wider interest than previously thought. The present research focusses on improving our understanding of the effects of isolation and extreme environments on cognitive and emotional processes that contribute to decision making, as well as the possible countermeasures to prevent or reduce risks and adverse outcomes. To date, available evidence is very poor and it is surprising that what is available comes from studies that have considered the ability to make optimal decisions independent of emotions. However, it is well established that cognitive and emotional processes are intertwined as emotions not only help our decision-making by biasing our choices away from signals of danger (i.e., Preston et al. 2007) but they also guide our attention by prioritizing some aspects of the situation over others (Pecchinenda et al. 2016), affect the way events are appraised (e.g. Pecchinenda, 2001), and they shape decisions by modulating the salience of different outcomes (e.g., O¿Doherty et al. 2003). In addition, loneliness from isolation may affect the propensity to take risks through similar mechanisms.
As optimal decision-making is paramount when dealing with critical situations under conditions of social confinement and potential danger, a systematic investigation is urged.
The present research will improve the understanding of the factors leading to less efficient decision-making strategies. In doing so, it will help in devising effective countermeasures applicable not only to expeditions but also to situations requiring a small number of crew or team members to work in isolation under extreme conditions. Importantly, the current Sars-Covid-19 emergency and the social isolation and distancing measures have made this topic more general and actual than ever before.
In addition, it is important to outline that some of the decision-making tasks to be used in the present research have also been used in past isolation and confinement studies by our group. Therefore, additional insight can be achieved by comparing the results of the proposed research with those obtained in previous analogue settings by our group. Indeed, the present research is part of an ongoing research program, aimed at comparing behavioral, subjective, and biological data collected in different, although analogue, settings to disentangle the effects of living in isolation and confinement on emotion, cognition, and decision making. More specifically, the ongoing research program includes:
1) Antarctic Concordia Station [part of the proposed research already selected by the European Space Agency for two campaigns (Paradigm)];
2) High Arctic Ny-Ålesund Station (completed, Progetto Ateneo 2015);
3) Isolation and confinement programme ¿SIRIUS (Scientific International Research In Unique terrestrial Station NEK isolation facility in Moscow [(Paradigm2) selected by the European Space Agency and Russian Institute for Biomedical Problems (IBMP) to be run in Sirius 20 and Sirius-22 Programme]
4) Two ESA 60-day Head-Down Bedrest studies to be run at MEDES (France) and Planica (Slovenia) facilities (Project CAGE, submitted), with microgravity-analogue and isolation and confinement conditions.
The proposed research capitalizes on the facilities present in our laboratories at University Sapienza of Rome and from the expertise of the team members who have a long-lasting record of studies on the cognitive and affective processing using behavioral, psychophysiological and psychobiological measures in basic and applied research. Team members have a strong record of scientific work addressing all research areas (emotion, cognition, decision making, executive functions) of the present research proposal.
In addition, the team members have already worked together and has the facilities to conduct all data analyses, including miRNAs analyses, at the laboratories of the Department of Psychology of the Sapienza University of Rome (Italy).
Compared to past research, the current project has the great advantage that by pooling data from the proposed research with data collected by our group in other isolation and confinement studies, we can better understand and model the impact of isolation and confinement under extreme conditions on human emotion, cognition and decision making.