NCJ Number
19506
Journal
American Sociological Review Volume: 34 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL 1969) Pages: 223-238
Date Published
1969
Length
16 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT DOCUMENTS A SIMULATION EXPERIMENT ON A POLICE COMMUNICATIONS UNIT IN WHICH STRESS WAS INDUCED THROUGH THE SIMULATION OF A NATURAL DISASTER.
Abstract
WITH A RESEARCH FOCUS ON ORGANIZATIONAL STRESS, SUCH AS MIGHT BE PRECIPITATED BY NATURAL DISASTER AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO 'BRIDGE THE GAP' BETWEEN THE FIELD AND LABORATORY THROUGH 'REALISTIC SIMULATION'. THREE TEAMS OF POLICE COMMUNICATION ROOM PERSONNEL PARTICIPATED IN EACH OF THE THREE SIMULATIONS WITH NORMAL SYSTEM DEMANDS. THE TEAMS THEN CONFRONTED SYSTEM STRESS THROUGH A SIMULATED DISASTER. CHANGES IN TEAM PERFORMANCE PATTERNS UNDER STRESS APPEARED RELATED TO STRAINS EXISTENT IN THE SYSTEM PRIOR TO STRESS AND TO INCOMPATABILITIES BETWEEN SYSTEM STRUCTURE AND EMERGENT SYSTEM DEMANDS. AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT CHANGES IN GROUP STRUCTURE WHICH INCREASED SYSTEM CAPACITY WAS THE GRADUAL EMERGENCE OF A DISPLAY MECHANISM WHEREBY INTRA-TEAM ACTIVITY BECAME MORE SHARED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)