Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Joaquín Colodro Plaza1, Enrique J. Garcés de los Fayos Ruiz2, Juan J. López García2 and Lucía Colodro Conde2
Background: Environmental stressors require the professional diver to undergo a complex process of psychophysiological adaptation in order to overcome the demands of an extreme environment and carry out effective and efficient work under water. The influence of cognitive and personality traits in predicting underwater performance and adaptation has been a common concern for diving psychology, and definitive conclusions have not been reached. Method: In this ex post facto study, psychological and academic data were analyzed from a large sample of personnel participating in scuba diving courses carried out in the Spanish Navy Diving Center. In order to verify the relevance of individual differences in adaptation to a hostile environment, we evaluated the predictive validity of general mental ability and personality traits with regression techniques. Results: The data indicated the existence of psychological variables that can predict the performance (R2 = .30, p<.001) and adaptation (R2N = .51, p<.001) of divers in underwater environment. Conclusions: These findings support the hypothesis that individual differences are related to the probability of successful adaptation and effective performance in professional diving. These results also verify that dispositional traits play a decisive role in diving training and are significant factors in divers´ psychological fitness.
Predicción de la adaptación y rendimiento humanos en el medio subacuático. Antecedentes: los estresores ambientales exigen al buceador profesional un complejo proceso de adaptación psicofisiológica para superar las demandas de un medio extremo y desarrollar trabajos subacuáticos efectivos. La influencia de los rasgos cognitivos y de personalidad para predecir la adaptación y el rendimiento ha constituido una preocupación constante en Psicología del buceo, aunque no se han alcanzado conclusiones definitivas. Método: en este estudio ex post facto se analizaron datos psicológicos y académicos de personal que realiza cursos de buceo en el Centro de Buceo de la Armada Española. Con el fin de verificar la relevancia de las diferencias individuales en la adaptación a un ambiente hostil, hemos evaluado la validez predictiva de la inteligencia y personalidad mediante técnicas de regresión. Resultados: los datos obtenidos indicaron la existencia de variables psicológicas útiles para predecir el rendimiento (R2 = .30, p<.001) y la adaptación (R2N = .51, p<.001) en el medio subacuático. Conclusiones: estos hallazgos confirman la hipótesis de que las diferencias individuales guardan relación con la probabilidad de obtener una satisfactoria adaptación y rendimiento efectivo en buceo profesional, tienen un papel decisivo en la formación de buceadores y son factores significativos en su aptitud psicológica.
SPANISH
ENGLISH
https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2014.5