Differences in affordance-based behaviors within an isolated and confined environment are related to sleep, emotional health and physiological parameters

Astronauts are required to operate within isolated, confined and extreme environments (ICE). Isolated, confined and controlled (ICC) environments, such as the NASA Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) site, provide ways of studying and predicting behavioral changes that occur in response to prolonged exposure to ICE environments. An important aspect of behavior is affordance perception. An affordance refers to a possibility for action. Affordance perception and related behavior may be affected by sleep, emotional health and stress. The inability to accurately perceive changes in affordances may increase the risk adopted during a task, possibly compromising mission success.