Cognition and Performance skills in Space Travel: A Brief Psychological Overview

Astronauts in space work on numerous complex tasks, which require both cognitive and various psychomotor functions as well as many other expected skills. Therefore, it is critical to maintain high levels of performance efficiency while astronauts are staying and performing in harsh space environments. In this study, origins of disturbances in astronaut performance are introduced, while bearing in mind that the lack of the common gravitational force affects many brain mechanisms. Effects of microgravity on cognitive and psychomotor functions are then discussed, and the maintenance of cognitive and psychomotor performance, as well as complex cognitive and perceptual-motor skills is attended to. Maintaining high levels of performance efficiency would guarantee the success of the mission, and that is what makes such studies an undeniable necessity.

Keywords:

Space Psychology , Cognition and Performance skills in Space , Astronaut Psychology , Effects of microgravity on cognitive and psychomotor functions , Origins of disturbances in astronaut performance