Extended Analysis of Small Group Performance and the Effects of Contingency Management in a Programmed Environment

Abstract : Volunteer subjects have participated in a series of experimental group missions involving continuous residence for varying periods in the programmed environment. The methodology involved in these ongoing studies extends the applications of performance programming technologies detailed in prior publications. The experiments focus upon an explicit analysis of the conditions under which interrelationships between participants and experimenters influence performance effectiveness. To assess potential interrelationships between physiological status and performance effectiveness and productivity, four measures were obtained while subjects concurrently operated the performance battery: (1) heart rate, (2) frontalis EMG, (3) skin temperature, and (4) skin conductance. Urine free cortisol levels were also determined from analyses of total urine volume which was collected throughout the mission. A strong overall relationship was observed between individual productivity and mean daily urine free cortisol. These observations together suggest that the stress of sustained high productivity along with prolonged performance accuracy on a demanding task may render an individual vulnerable to disruptive emotional reactions such as those provoked by the avoidance phase of the study.