8/21/2016

APersonalityProfileforCommercialAirlinePilots|PhoenixEastAviation

Postedat19DecinBlogbyEricaMartin 5Comments
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Docommercialpilotshaveacommonpersonalitytype?A2004reportbyNASAsLangleyResearchCentersaystheydo.
Thestudy,foundherewasconductedwithdatafrom93commercialpilotsandevaluatedpersonalitytypesastheyrelatetopilot
performanceanderrormanagement.ThepilotsweregiventhepersonalityassessmentknownastheNEOPIR,whichstandsforNEO
PersonalityInventoryRevised.TheNEOPITmethodexaminesfivemainpersonalitytraits,calledtheFiveFactorModel,alsoknown
astheBigFive.Accordingtoresearchers,thefivefactorsinclude:

1.NEUROTICISM
Neuroticismreferstoemotionalstabilityandlevelofpsychologicaldistress.Itincludessixfacets,accordingtoPsychPress.com.au.:
Anxiety,anger&hostility,depression,selfconscientiousness,impulsivenessandvulnerability.Ahighscoreinneuroticismindicatesa
predispositionforpsychologicaldistress.
Ingeneral,pilotsinthisstudyscoredverylowontheneuroticismscale,meaningtheyrenotanxiousandarecalm,evenintimesof
stress.Inaddition,mostpilotsareconfidentintheirabilitytohandleadifficultsituation,whichisacriticaltraitforpilotstohave,
especiallyduringanemergency.

2.EXTRAVERSION:
Thetendencytobeoutgoingandenjoythecompanyofothersisknownasextraversion.Thefacetsinvolvedwithextraversioninclude
warmth,assertiveness,gregariousness,activity,excitementseekingandpositiveemotions.
Forthemostpart,pilotsareextroverts.Theytendtoenjoysocializing,seekexcitementandexhibitmoreaggressivebehaviorsthan
others.

3.OPENNESSTOEXPERIENCE:
HighOindividualsarecurious,imaginative,andwillingtoentertainnovelideasandunconventionalvalues,accordingto
Psychpress.com.au.Opennesstoexperienceisntdiscussedinthepilotstudybecausethedatawasntfoundtobesignificant.

https://www.pea.com/blog/posts/personalityprofilecommercialairlinepilots/

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8/21/2016

APersonalityProfileforCommercialAirlinePilots|PhoenixEastAviation

4.AGREEABLENESS:
Agreeablenessincludesfacetsliketrust,straightforwardness,altruism,modestyandtendermindedness.Averyagreeablepersonis
trusting,helping,kindandforgivingandthinksthesameofothers.Lowscorersinagreeablenessarecynicalanddistrusting.
Itsthiscategoryinwhichpilotsgettheirreputationforbeingarrogantandhardheaded.Atthesametime,theytendtobe
straightforwardandhonest.

5.CONSCIENTIOUSNESS:
Beingconscientiousmeansbeingorganized,persistentandgoaloriented.Veryconscientiouspeopleareusuallyreliableandtheywork
hard.Andtheyrealwaysontime.TheConscientiousnesscategoryhassixfacets:Competence,order,dutifulness,achievement
striving,selfdisciplineanddeliberation.
Youmightguessthatpilotsscorehighinthisarea.Theyrecompetent,neatandorganizedandtheyworkhardtoachievegoals.Theyre
highlyselfdisciplined,whichaccordingtothestudyisagoodthingforpilotsworkingwithautomation.Thispersonalitytypeismore
accurateanddisciplinedwithmanagingandmonitoringautomation.Finally,pilotsarecautiousanddeliberate.
Theconclusionofthestudy,basedontheresultsofthe93commercialpilots,foundthatapersonalityprofilecouldbedeterminedfor
pilots.Atypicalpilot,accordingtothestudy,isonewhoislowinanxiety,vulnerability,angryhostility,impulsiveness,anddepression.
Thispersonalsotendsbeveryconscientiousbeinghighindeliberation,achievementstriving,competence,anddutifulness.Healso
tendstobetrustingandstraightforward.Finally,heisanactiveindividualwithahighlevelofassertiveness.
Whichcommercialpilotpersonalitytraitsdoyouhave?

https://www.pea.com/blog/posts/personalityprofilecommercialairlinepilots/

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