Team Stress and Performance: Implications for Long-Duration Space Missions

Abstract

Interpersonal tensions during long-duration space missions can endanger mission success by preventing crew cooperation or by inducing errors. Crew friction in past U.S. – Russian missions drives home the need to understand how interpersonal stresses precipitate crew breakdowns. Most team research of the past decade has focused on the cognitive and communication aspects of team performance. The present study addressed the interpersonal aspects as well. A computer-based laboratory was created to study team problem solving under stressful conditions. Twelve teams of four males (aged 25-45) participated in six 75-minute search and rescue “missions.” A path model showed that level of mission success reflected degree of team collaboration, which was driven by both group level and individual factors. High levels of team cohesion, a helpful base-station leader, feelings of acceptance, and provision of interpersonal support were associated with high levels of collaboration. Implications of these findings for team composition and training will be discussed.