Effects of Fatigue and Long-Term Isolation on Human Behavior

Abstract

Isolation is one of the most significant stressors one can face during one's lifetime. It contradicts the very nature of human beings to be social and mobile. Nevertheless, isolation is also a fundamental element in a variety of occupations, e.g. human space exploration. In this paper, we discuss what changes in behavior take place within a group of six subjects during a 120-day period of social and physical confinement. By comparing results of five independent methods – analysis of physical and communicational activity, psycholinguistic approach, Design thinking, as well as group dynamics examination – we conclude that the data from the first three methods predicted the data of the final method. Moreover, all methods indicate signs of emerging fatigue and a decrease in motivation towards the end of isolation, with a critical period occurring around its second quarter. We also suggest differentiation between individual and group adaptation and the implementation of creativity exercises to smoothen the transition period. In the conclusion, we suggest that the elaborated methodology can be implemented in aviation to monitor the psycho-emotional states of pilots non-invasively.