On the Psychology of the Apollo Moon Scientists: A Chapter in the Psychology of Science

In: Human relations: towards the integration of the social sciences, Band 30, Heft 8, S. 657-674

Abstract

This paper describes afollow-up study of a 4-year investigation of the scientific attitudes and personalities of a select sample of the Apollo moon scientists. Semantic differentials for the purpose of eliciting the structure of scientific roles and personalities were administered. Also administered were the Leary Adjective Check List and Rotter Incomplete Sentence Blank. The results show not only that there are strong and sharp differences among a small number of different scientific "types," but also that scientists are affectively involved with their work to a high degree. The results of the study lend support to some of Abraham Maslow's provocative ideas regarding the psychology of science.