Psychological (clinical, observational, psychometric and psychophysiological) studies on Scott Base staff who wintered over in successive parties

A temporary psychological and psychophysiological laboratory was set up at Scott Base to obtain psychometric, psychophysical and psychophysiological data from nine men who had wintered over. The scientific aim was to measure precisely any changes that might have arisen on certain cognitive, personality and physiological factors over the winter period.

Tests conducted were:
1) The assessment of test perception and near threshold sensitivity,
2) The assessment of the accuracy of elapsed time extension,
3) Measurements of short term memory for structured and random letter strings, 4) Consistency of relative similarity judgements,
5) Set of short tests of suggestibility,
6) Tests of skin conductance and heart rate,
7) Tests of EEC, reactions to olfacotry stimulation,
8) Comrey Personality Inventory,
9) Victoria Isolation Scale and
10) Field Dependency.

Substantial interviews on certain aspects of psychological functioning with individuals in differing parties was also conducted. All tests (except 4 and 9) were fully administered in 1976 and 1977 and consequently provide a data base for assessing shifts in psychological performance.