Psychological data from scientists in the field and support staff at Scott Base to understand the social and psychological aspects of ethical decision making (environmental protection vs work tasks)

People working there need to balance the need for environmental protection against the demands of their task while they are on the ice.The social and psychological aspects of the ethical decision making of people working in the Antarctic environment was investigated with the goal of developing a better undertanding of the individual and group influences on individuals making such decisions.

The main objective of the study was to investigate the association between environmental decision processes and group norms, social networks, the need for cognition and environmental worldviews. Data was gathered by a semi structure in-depth interviews (which sought information about processes and networks) of scientists and support staff at their locations in the field or at Scott Base, a questionnaire (NEP-R which tapped individual disposition towards cognition and the environment) and a sheet of demographic information.