Astrosociology and Human Factors: Antagonistic, Independent, or Convergent?

摘要

Astrosociology has emerged during the last decade to focus on the relationship between outer space and society. The focus here is mostly on the micro level of analysis which involves human social interaction on the personal level. Human factors analyses applied to space-related issues may be broken down into three types, which will receive substantial attention throughout this article. In the past, human factors has dealt with human-technology (or machine) interaction for the most part, but not exclusively so, as will be discussed. Another major part of the discussion involves how the two have related to one another historically and how we should move forward into the future. The questions explored regarding this particular issue focus on how the two can continue to coexist and even become interrelated in the area of space exploration and related topics. For example, what does each area of study have to offer the other? Can human factors scholarship gain additional insights from the extensive and wide-ranging traditions of the social and behavioral sciences? What can the human factors approach offer astrosociology? Is this another way in which we can bridge the divide between the social science community and the space community? The relationship between astrosociology and human factors requires deliberation. Whether the two areas of study become antagonistic or convergent, or remain largely independent, will have implications for how human interactions in space ecologies become characterized, studied, and understood in the future. The discussions in this article lead to conclusions that, perhaps by their very nature, may cause disagreement and thus engender confrontational reactions by some in the space community. This outcome would prove positive for everyone, as an energetic set of debates on this subject is required for progress to occur in our long-term understanding of interpersonal issues regarding human migration to, and survival in, space ecologies in a variety of very different space environments.