The effects of the underwater environment on perception, cognition and memory

Physiological changes in humans due to underwater environments have been well studied, but much less is known about the psychological effects of diving. The possible psychological effects include social, emotional, and cognitive alterations. This paper focuses on cognitive changes, especially changes in perception and memory, and reviews studies of the effects of the underwater environment that have emerged over the past twenty-five years. The impact of the underwater environment on sensory memory, working memory and long-term memory are described as well as the significance of context-dependent memory for diving. The varying effects of diving are important to understand because insights from the underwater environment can guide forays into other hostile environments, for example, space, interplanetary travel, and extremes of temperature and atmospheric conditions. This review serves as an important reminder of past research that is still very relevant. The cognitive changes discussed here affect a whole host of functions that are crucially related to adapting successfully to the challenges of the global environment.