Novel Behaviors in an Extreme Environment
Abstract
During the 6-month Antarctic winter "night," the 22-man South Pole station is one of the most extreme environments known to man. The authors used this environment as a laboratory to study two discrete behavioral phenomena, "staring" and "drifting." They present the first formal descriptions of these two altered states of consciousness, test etiological hypotheses concerning thyroid and thiamine function, and raise questions about the relationship of these novel behaviors to clinical states of depression. They suggest the possibility of adaptational or pathological analogues of these behaviors in environments less obviously extreme, i.e., mental hospitals, prisons, isolated occupations, and ghettos.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).