AN INTRODUCTORY STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF 

 TWO-WAY CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION ON A 

 SMALL CREW OF AQUANAUTS LIVING IN AN 

 ISOLATED AND STRESSFUL ENVIRONMENT 



Mark N. Silverman, M. A. 



ABSTRACT 



The study was based on the author's belief that all manned space 

 and manned undersea missions should include two way closed circuit 

 television, or video phone, as a primary means of communication. 

 To that end a video phone link was established between the habitat 

 and the command van on the surface. Three measures were taken to 

 determine the aquanauts' attitude and use of the video phone: 

 (l) Pre and post mission questionnaires; (2) forty hours of random 

 video taping showing the use of the video phone; (3) daily recording 

 of communications behavior on computer cards. The results indicated 

 that the video phone provided: (l) a valuable means of communication 

 between the aquanauts and the command center; (2) facilitated 

 equipment troubleshooting; (3) increased the aquanauts' feeling of 

 c -nfidence in the surface crew; (U) reduced feelings of isolation, 



INTRODUCTION 



The study was based on the author's belief that all manned space and manned 

 undersea missions should include two way closed circuit television (CCTV) 

 or video phone, as a primary means of communications. The basic theory is 

 that such equipment will enhance both crew effectiveness and morale in that 

 the video phone will improve the communications link between the aquanauts 

 or astronauts and their surface support. Furthermore, the use of a video 

 phone could greatly relieve the elements of stress, boredom, and isolation. 

 The author also theorized that the use of the video phone for operational 

 or professional requirements would decrease with time during a mission, 

 while the social usage would increase. 



To that end, the author introduced a video phone linking the habitat and the 

 command van system. 



THE COMMUNICATION RESEARCH PROGRAM 



This study was undertaken as part of the total psychological research 

 program being performed for NASA and the Navy. It was done so as not to 

 interfere with the marine research being conducted. However, it did have 

 several disadvantages, the primary one being that there was no time made 

 available to teach the aquanauts how to use the communications equipment. 

 They were simply told that the equipment was there for them to use if they 

 desired. Second, the behavior research encoders were not thoroughly trained 

 in how to recognize use of the video phone. 



VIII-63 



