Response speed and accuracy during anticipatory stress

Area of Science:

• Aviation Psychology
• Human Factors Engineering
• Occupational Stress

Background:

• Anticipatory physical threat stress (APTS) significantly impacts cognitive and motor performance.
• Understanding how pilots respond to stress is crucial for aviation safety and training.
• Existing models of APTS may not fully account for psychological variables influencing performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of perceived control and event characteristics on pilot performance under APTS.
• To determine the influence of unpleasantness, proximity, and performance contingency on pilot response.
• To evaluate the applicability of Wherry's APTS model and suggest potential modifications.

Main Methods:

• Assessed response speed and accuracy in 48 general aviation pilots under induced APTS.
• Manipulated variables: unpleasantness (electrical shock), proximity, and performance-contingency of the threat.
• Collected data to analyze the relationship between stressor characteristics and pilot performance.

Main Results:

• Pilot performance was significantly affected by the perceived inevitability of the threat.
• Pilots who believed their performance could prevent the shock maintained or improved their performance.
• Pilots perceiving the shock as unavoidable showed performance deterioration.

Conclusions:

• The findings support the inclusion of perceived control and event characteristics in APTS models.
• Modifications to APTS models should consider weighting stressor effectiveness and personality interactions.
• These insights can inform the development of more effective pilot training and stress management strategies.