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Aviation risk perception: a comparison between experts and novices
Mary E Thomson1, Dilek Onkal, Ali Avcioğlu
1Department of Psychology, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. M.Thomson@gcal.ac.uk
Summary
Expert pilots perceive helicopter operation risks more accurately than novices. However, increased flight hours correlate with a higher tendency for risk-taking, potentially due to overconfidence from enhanced performance.
Area of Science:
- Aviation Psychology
- Human Factors Engineering
- Risk Perception Studies
Background:
- Understanding risk perception is crucial in aviation safety.
- Expertise, including flight experience, significantly influences decision-making under risk.
- Previous research indicates demographic and background factors affect risk perception.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare risk perceptions of helicopter experts and novices.
- To examine the relationship between flight hours and risk-taking tendencies.
- To identify factors influencing perceptual differences in aviation contexts.
Main Methods:
- Matched-pair comparison of expert pilots and candidate pilots.
- Exploratory investigation of risk perception under controlled conditions.
- Analysis of correlations between flight hours, risk-taking, and performance.
Main Results:
- Experts demonstrated more veridical risk perceptions compared to novices.
- A significant positive correlation was found between flight hours and contextual risk-taking.
- Experienced pilots showed a tendency towards riskier choices, possibly linked to overconfidence.
Conclusions:
- Expertise modulates risk perception accuracy in helicopter operations.
- Flight experience may lead to overconfidence and increased risk-taking behavior.
- Further research is needed to explore the nuances of expertise and risk in aviation.