Abstract
Industrial psychology is one of the applied sub-branches of psychology and focuses on human behaviors in the workplace. It aims to increase the performance and satisfaction of employees and organizational productivity by using a range of scientific methods. Developments within the scope of industrial and organizational psychology lead to the emergence of new fields of study, such as personnel psychology, organizational behavior, engineering psychology, vocational counseling, organizational development, and industrial relations. These fields had to be adapted to the complex structured maritime industry. In this context, maritime psychology can be widely described as the study and application of the interaction of human behavior and its environment. This chapter is a venture to identify and construct the specific maritime psychology characteristics, whilst protecting its vivid interaction with other perspectives including social, biological, physical, and environmental ones.
TopIntroduction
Maritime transport is the most preferred transport mode in global trade (Tran et al., 2020). Seafarers are vital in maintaining the supply chains. They work in a closed and complex environment onboard. Their life quality at sea depends on social, physiological, psychological, and mental well-being (Jeżewska et al., 2015). Seafarers are exposed to stressor factors onboard during the contract that lasts for months. These stressor factors are restricted working areas, long and tiring working hours, risky tasks and conditions, fatigue, lack of social and family life, inspections, occupational stress, watchkeeping duties, time pressure, diseases, the danger of piracy, working with a multicultural crew, rough weather, mobbing. In particular, these stressors may be harmful to the psychological well-being of seafarers. As a result, seafarers encounter energy and motivation decrease, anxiety and burnout increase, suicide attempts, and maritime accidents with catastrophic consequences (Tavacıoğlu et al., 2019; Xiao et al., 2017). Maritime psychology studies the interaction between seafarers’ behavior and the working environment. Seafarers struggle with challenges in their working environment. International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the main rule-maker of the maritime sector. It standardizes international maritime transport with conventions, codes, resolutions, circulars, and guidelines. The IMO's standardizations are mostly related to the safety of life at sea, seafarers' education, and training (Guevara and Dalaklis, 2021). International Labour Organization (ILO) brings standards related to the work and welfare of seafarers. ILO sets minimum requirements for the working and living conditions of seafarers. Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006, by ILO, includes working and living conditions on board, safe and secure workplace standards, work and rest hours, fair employment, welfare measures, health and social protection, medical care, and accident prevention (Milde, 2011). Figure 1 depicts the onion model of this study to synthesize the elements of maritime psychology (MacLachlan, 2017). According to this model, maritime psychology consists of five layers. These layers permanently interact with each other.
It is possible to change something in a specific layer by interfering in other layers. The job layer includes task skills, matching specific skills demands and competence, dealing with mismatching, stress reactions, and working environment. The seafarer layer contains the seafarer’s health, character, physical and social skills, mood, and cognitive abilities. The crew layer involves collaboration ability, correct making decisions, and supporting each other. This layer reflects the crew’s knowledge of maritime psychology and organizational culture. The shipping company layer is related to the company’s personnel policies, crew hiring, and firing. This layer reflects its attitudes towards risk management, health and welfare support to the crew, personnel development, and certification. The maritime industry layer covers the rule maker authorities, such as IMO and ILO.
Figure 1. Onion model of maritime psychology
The aim of this chapter is to reveal the affecting factors of maritime psychology and applications of recent days and future trends. In this chapter, maritime psychology is defined as for the second section and the working conditions which is serious problem for stress management and work-family and family-work conflict are discussed in the following sections as consequences of working conditions. Finally seafarers’ professional psychology and positive psychology are defined to conclude the previous sections by discussing work performance and future solutions as well. Since there is no study in the literature that covers maritime psychology, working conditions and results, the effects of these situations on job performance and current practices, this section is expected to contribute to the literature and guide future studies. The studies in this chapter are made with a narrative literature review. The main topic of this chapter is determined for the narrative literature review as maritime psychology and the affecting factors in the light of future trends.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Stress: A situation that arises because of the association between the organism itself and its environment and helps improvement as long as it is at an appropriate level, and when it is excessive, it consumes all biological and psychological resources of the seafarers.
Professional Psychology: Professional psychology is defined as the study of the seafarers’ general ability, professional inclination, special ability of the profession, and individuality.
Working Conditions: Working conditions are defined as the working environment’s physical conditions and mental demands. Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 regulates the seafarers’ resting hours, working, and living conditions.
Positive Psychology: Positive psychology is defined as the study of assisting seafarers to evolve in a general status that recognizes and realizes the utilities of an environment including positive and acceptable work specifications.
Maritime Psychology: Maritime psychology is defined as the study of the interaction between seafarers’ behavior and the working environment.
Occupational Stressors: Occupational stressors are defined as the risk factors that may lead to many psychological, behavioral and physical problems. Vessel size and type, cargo type, contract duration are some of the occupational stressors for seafarers. These stressors affect seafarers badly and can cause heart disease, musculoskeletal disorders, headaches, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, fatigue, burnout, accidents, substance abuse, dysfunctional behaviors, murder, suicide, work-family conflict.
Cognition: Cognition states the seafarer’s mental process that involves learning, perception, thinking, storage, remembering, judging, decision making, planning.