Hearsey CM (2011) The nexus between law and astrosociology. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC, pp 17–46 In: Vakoch DA (ed) Psychology of space exploration: contemporary research in historical perspective. Harrison AA, Fiedler ER (2011b) Behavioral health. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC, pp 17–47 Harrison AA, Fiedler ER (2011a) Psychology and the U.S. Harrison AA (2014) Astrotheology and spaceflight: prophecy, transcendence and salvation on the high frontier. Astropolitics Int J Space Polit Policy 11(1–2):25–44 Harrison AA (2013) Russian and American cosmism: religion, national psyche, and spaceflight. Harrison AA (2011b) Fear, pandemonium, equanimity and delight: human responses to extraterrestrial life. Harrison AA (2011a) The search for extraterrestrial intelligence: astrosociology and cultural aspects. Harrison AA (2007) Starstruck: cosmic visions in science, religion, and folklore.

Harrison AA (2001) Spacefaring: the human dimension. Harrison AA (1997) After contact: the human response to extraterrestrial life. Acta Astronaut 26:263–265įinney B, Jones EM (eds) (1984) Interstellar migration and the human experience. Philos Trans Br R Soc A 369:633–643įinney B (1992) SETI and the two terrestrial cultures. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswickĭrake F (2011) The search for extra-terrestrial intelligence. Astrobiology 8:715–730ĭick SJ, Strick JE (2005) The living universe: NASA and the development of astrobiology. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DCĭes Marais DJ et al (2008) The NASA astrobiology roadmap. Accessed on Ĭonnors MM, Harrison AA et al (1985) Living aloft: human requirements for extended duration spaceflight (NASA SP-483). In: Cheston TS (principal investigator) Space social science. Philos Trans Br R Soc A 369:508–515īluth BJ (1983) Sociology and space development. SETI Institute Press, Mountain Viewīlumberg BS (2011) Astrobiology, space, and the future age of discovery. Acta Astronaut 42:711–719īillingham J, Heyns RD et al (1999) Societal implications of the detection of an extraterrestrial civilization. International Academy of Astronautics and Indian Space Agency, New Delhiīillingham J (1998) Cultural aspects of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. State University of New York Press, Albanyīekey I (2009) Dealing with the threat to Earth from asteroids and comets. Keywordsīainbridge WS (1991) Goals in space: American values and the future of technology. These examples demonstrate both the limited successes and the largely untapped potential of the social sciences to contribute to space education and research. SETI, astrobiology, and planetary defense serve as specific examples of successful convergence efforts, though they involve social scientists in relatively small numbers. This is possible by increasing social science literacy among the public and “hard scientists” and developing win-win research projects that accommodate varied interests and goals. Achievement of unprecedented levels of collaborative synergy is possible with increased levels of sustained convergences. This chapter emphasizes the need for convergence, the barriers to convergence, and potential approaches to reduce these barriers. Increasing synergy between the “hard” and “soft” sciences requires increasing interest within both the social and behavioral sciences and encouraging receptivity on the part of physical sciences.

Also, with the exception of selected space science research areas including astrobiology, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, and the protection of the Earth from asteroids and comets, the receptivity of physical and natural scientists to inputs from the social and behavioral sciences has been low. While political science and economics have sustained a strong interest in space, interest on the part of anthropology, sociology, and several fields of psychology has been low. Astrosociology is an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary field that promotes and represents convergence of the physical/natural sciences and the social/behavioral sciences on all matters pertaining to humanity’s interests and activities in space and the consequences of these activities for people on Earth. This is not the case here, as the focus is on a relatively newly emerging and increasingly relevant social science field.

Discussions concerning science and technology convergence too often ignore the social sciences.

Define synergy blatant