The results provided more complete answers for some of these questions than for 

 others, but a degree of insight was gained for each. 



Methods and Procedures 



Three main approaches are available for obtaining measures of habi tabi 1 i ty. 

 These are (I) measuring on-going responses (via self-report, observation, and 

 physiological recording) during confinement in the habitat, (2) gathering 

 background data on each person undergoing confinement in the habitat, and (3) 

 measuring habitability by evaluation of the properties of the habitat itself. 

 Techniques on the third approach have yet to be developed. 



Measurement of these aspects of habitability allow: 



1. Identification of design factors that affect habitability 



2. Prediction of likely human responses to prolonged exposure to a 

 particular habitat under study 



3. Better understanding of individual variations in adjustment to a 

 habitat 



4. Provision of evaluative data on the assessable habitability of 

 environments in general 



Such information can be used to improve planning and design for particular 



physical habitats, to improve personal adjustment to a habitat, or to improve 



the selection process for choosing people to undergo prolonged stays in the 

 habi tat. 



Development of general habitability scales may be premature because of the 

 considerable complexity involved and the lack of available objective criteria. 

 However, there is currently a need to specify as many of the factors involved 

 as possible, and a battery of assessment techniques that incorporated such 

 factors was deemed possible. It was decided that extant tests should be used 

 where possible in the habitability test battery because test construction and 

 development is a particularly slow and expensive process. 



The instruments employed in this program were (I) a Habitability Assessment 

 Rating Scale (HARS), (2) a Tektite Environmental Assessment (TEA) form, (3) 

 Mood Adjective Check Lists, (4) personality data from the Sixteen Personality 

 Factor Questionnaire (|6PF), (5) content analysis of postdive debriefing inter- 

 views, (6) leisure time observations, and (7) content analysis of guided diary 

 forms. In addition, the behavioral observations, done as an independent study 

 by Dr. Robert Helmreich and his team and reported separately in this document, 

 were found to be exceptionally useful in interpreting the habitability data. 



The Habitability Assessment Rating Scale (HARS) was used by the aquanauts to 

 rate 63 specific items in the habitat for performance of function, comfort in 

 use, convenience of location, ease of maintenance, aesthetic value, and safety. 

 This instrument was filled out by the aquanauts 5 days before completion of 

 each mission. Copies of this form and other test instruments may be obtained 

 by writing the authors. 



VIII-70 



