Choosing the Right Stuff: The Psychological Selection of Astronauts and Cosmonauts

(Hardback)

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Description

For the first time the history of the psychological and psychiatric evaluation of astronaut and cosmonaut candidates is detailed. The general public and many professionals assume that psychological issues have been and will be extremely important factors in successful space exploration. This book, however, documents how NASA underutilized, downplayed, then ultimately ignored psychiatric and psychological characteristics in selecting astronauts, until very recently.

Reviews

.,."a fascinating and informative look at the psychological and historical development of the US space program, and provides the best case history of human factors research this reviewer has ever read. The work illuminates the intricate details that are important to such large-scale human factors projects, and readers will feel as if they were actually a part of that history. Readers may also find the information on the Soviet space program and future space projects particularly interesting. Recommended."-Choice
...a fascinating and informative look at the psychological and historical development of the US space program, and provides the best case history of human factors research this reviewer has ever read. The work illuminates the intricate details that are important to such large-scale human factors projects, and readers will feel as if they were actually a part of that history. Readers may also find the information on the Soviet space program and future space projects particularly interesting. Recommended.-Choice
Of major interest to psychologists, psychiatrists, and behavioral and human factors scientists who want to select and train flight crew members for successful performance in space, this book provides very helpful insight for the evaluation and selection process...This book is a scholarly achievement in psychology and psychiatry.-Contemporary Psychology
This is a fascinating book to read because of its insight into the psychological aspects of astronaut selection. It will be instructive to almost any reader, but particularly to the psychologist interested in astronaut selection. One of the most valuable portions of this book is the author's very careful and well-researched description of astronaut selection procedures in other countries. Her descriptions are well worth reading. The portion of the book describing the Soviet selection process makes fascinating reading. This is a most interesting (for a variety of reasons) book. I can, without hesitation, recommend it.-Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
..."a fascinating and informative look at the psychological and historical development of the US space program, and provides the best case history of human factors research this reviewer has ever read. The work illuminates the intricate details that are important to such large-scale human factors projects, and readers will feel as if they were actually a part of that history. Readers may also find the information on the Soviet space program and future space projects particularly interesting. Recommended."-Choice
"Of major interest to psychologists, psychiatrists, and behavioral and human factors scientists who want to select and train flight crew members for successful performance in space, this book provides very helpful insight for the evaluation and selection process...This book is a scholarly achievement in psychology and psychiatry."-Contemporary Psychology
"This is a fascinating book to read because of its insight into the psychological aspects of astronaut selection. It will be instructive to almost any reader, but particularly to the psychologist interested in astronaut selection. One of the most valuable portions of this book is the author's very careful and well-researched description of astronaut selection procedures in other countries. Her descriptions are well worth reading. The portion of the book describing the Soviet selection process makes fascinating reading. This is a most interesting (for a variety of reasons) book. I can, without hesitation, recommend it."-Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine

Author Bio

PATRICIA A. SANTY is Consultation Liaison Psychiatrist at a large General Hospital in Michigan.