Donald W. Ormiston
Published: 1962
Total Pages: 32
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Ten subjects were individually confined in a small capsule for 48 hours and required to work intermittently on intellectual, perceptual, and compensatory tracking tasks. Half of the subjects received conventional meals. The other half were provided a diet designed for consumption in a space vehicle. The normal cycle of sleep and wakefulness was maintained throughout the confinement period. Ten control subjects underwent the same conditions except they were confined only while eating or working. Intellectual tasks were: arithmetic, digit memory, confusing sentences, nonsense syllables, verbal analogies, same-opposite word meanings, and logical reasoning. The perceptual tasks were: warning-light monitoring, finding embedded figures, form discrimination, and aerial reconnaissance. No decrement was observed in intellectual performance. Only one perceptual task, aerial reconnaissance, reflected any deterioration in performance. Comparisons revealed no significant effects of diet on performance. (Author).
