Researchers from DePaul University in Chicago found that extroverts are likely to cause problems when included in a mission to Mars.
As NASA focuses its resources on plans to send humans on a mission to Mars, the agency has selected several psychology researchers to determine the ideal types of personalities for such long-term missions.
Suzanne Bell, lead author of the study and associate professor of psychology at DePaul, found that including an extrovert in the team could result in some disadvantages.
"You're talking about a very tiny vehicle, where people are in very isolated, very confined spaces. Extroverts have a little bit of a tough time in that situation," Bell said to Livescience.
The researchers examined previous studies with teams formed to complete similar missions, as well as simulated spacecraft missions for more than 100 days. The team also looked into documentation about teams sent on missions to Antarctica.
They discovered that in general, extroverts who are characterized as outgoing, assertive, and energetic, can perform tasks like planning and distribution of work well. Their sociable nature also tended to lean toward understanding power relations of a team.
But the researchers uncovered some disadvantages that could come with including an extrovert on a mission where they would be in isolated and remote settings.
Bell cited one mission simulation wherein an extrovert member of the team was disliked by his two teammates, who were both more reserved than he was. Other team members complained that the extrovert team member was too loud and spoke too much.
Another disadvantage concerned the extroverts themselves, because most of them struggled to adjust to a new setting where there were fewer chances for social interactions.
"People who are extroverted might have a hard time coping because they want to be doing a lot; they want to be engaged in a lot of things," explained Shanique Brown, study researcher and a graduate student in industrial and organizational psychology at DePaul, to Livescience.
The researchers clarified though that they did not recommend excluding the extroverts from the Mars mission. Proper orientation and team balance should address the disadvantages.
