Accession Number:

AD0743709

Title:

A Study of Underwater Diver Tactile Sensitivity.

Descriptive Note:

Master's thesis,

Corporate Author:

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CALIF

Personal Author(s):

• McKee,David Lee

Report Date:

1972-03-01

Pagination or Media Count:

53.0

Abstract:

The thesis examines the effects of underwater submersion and prolonged underwater submersion on a divers tactile sensitivity. The method of constant stimulus is used to determine size discrimination thresholds. The stimuli used are squares of hard acrylic plastic into which holes of varying diameters have been drilled. Four tests were administered to each subject. One test was administered on dry land in the open air and served as the standard. The other three tests were administered underwater at various time intervals. The conclusion drawn from this research is that a divers tactile sensitivity as measured by his ability to make size discriminations is not affected by underwater submersion or even prolonged underwater submersion of sixty-six minutes. Furthermore, the thresholds of approximately one millimeter, determined in this thesis, are consistent with the findings of past research in this field. Author

Descriptors:

• *TOUCH
• *DIVING
• SENSITIVITY
• PERCEPTION
• PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY
• UNDERWATER
• ENVIRONMENTS
• SKIN(ANATOMY)
• PERFORMANCE(HUMAN)
• STRESS(PHYSIOLOGY)
• THRESHOLDS(PHYSIOLOGY)
• THESES

Subject Categories:

• Psychology
• Anatomy and Physiology

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE