PSYCHOLOGICAL PREDICTORS OF ASTRONAUT EFFECTIVENESS

Are the personality characteristics of astronauts related to their pro fessional effectiveness? In order to answer this question, effectivene ss and personality data were collected from 65 NASA astronauts. Severa l findings emerged from these data. Five personality subscales were re lated to effectiveness in one form or another. They were: high Negativ e Expressivity and Negative Communion (subordinate and gullible), low Impatience and Irritability, low Openness (to new ideas and experience s), low Negative Instrumentality (egotism) and high Agreeableness. Exa mining the graphs of these relationships indicated that they were not linear. This examination indicated that high levels on these undesirab le personality characteristics (e.g., Impatience/lrritability) were di stributed across all levels of effectiveness. Low levels of the undesi rable personality characteristics were found only among the most effec tive astronauts. We concluded that these other-directed personality qu alities will assume increasing importance in long-term spaceflight, an d consequently, should be the focus of greater attention in future ast ronaut selection and training.