Risk propensity assessment in military special operations

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Military Operations Research
• Human Factors Engineering

Background:

• Risk-taking and decision-making are critical in military operations, often influenced by stress.
• Understanding individual risk proneness under operational stress is vital for safety and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of the Evaluation of Risks (EVAR) scale in assessing risk proneness in military personnel during a high-stress exercise.
• To examine the relationship between stress, mood, alertness, and risk-taking behavior in pilots.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Bond and Lader mood and alertness scale and the newly developed EVAR scale.
• Assessed 10 pilots undergoing strenuous night flights with sleep deprivation during a maritime counter-terrorism exercise.
• A control group of 9 navy crew members provided baseline comparisons.

Main Results:

• Pilots reported increased impulsiveness compared to baseline measurements.
• The EVAR scale factors remained consistent in the control group.
• Significant correlations were found between mood/alertness and risk factors.

Conclusions:

• The EVAR scale is a viable tool for assessing changes in risk proneness under various stressors.
• Further research with larger, diverse populations is needed to fully understand stress and environmental impacts on risk propensity.