Diving experience and emotional factors related to the psychomotor effects of nitrogen narcosis.

Simple and complex psychomotor performance were tested among 21 Navy divers under normal conditions and during nitrogen narcosis in simulated dives to 170 ft of sea water. Complex psychomotor performance was impaired significantly during narcosis, while simple psychomotor performance remained essentially normal. Differences between baseline scores for complex psychomotor performance (pre- and post-dive combined) and scores obtained from the two combined testing sessions administered during narcosis were correlated with official Navy records of diving experience and self-reported moods. None of the diving experience measures was associated significantly with these difference scores. The moods of Fatigue and Happiness were, however, correlated significantly with impairment. These results indicate that, although previous experience with nitrogen narcosis and diving tasks do not mediate the performance effects of nitrogen narcosis, the complex psychomotor effects nitrogen narcosis are related to emotional traits.