Personality profiles of pilots

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Aviation Psychology
• Personality Assessment

Background:

• Understanding pilot personality is crucial for selection and training.
• The Edwards Personality Preference Schedule (EPPS) is a tool used to assess personality traits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate personality differences between Air Force fighter pilots, commercial pilot trainees, and a general community sample.
• To determine if the EPPS can identify specific personality profiles associated with different pilot groups.

Main Methods:

• Administration of the Edwards Personality Preference Schedule (EPPS) to three distinct male groups: Air Force fighter pilots, trainee commercial pilots, and a general community sample.
• Statistical analysis of EPPS sub-scale scores to identify significant differences between the groups.

Main Results:

• Air Force fighter pilots scored significantly higher on Achievement, Affiliation, and Nurturance compared to other groups.
• Commercial pilot trainees showed significantly lower scores in Succorance and Nurturance relative to the general community sample.
• The personality dimension of "sociability" was found to be a key differentiator for Air Force fighter pilots when compared to the general community.

Conclusions:

• The EPPS effectively identifies distinct personality dimensions relevant to aviation roles.
• Personality profiles, particularly those related to achievement, affiliation, nurturance, and sociability, can differentiate between fighter pilots and other populations.
• These findings have implications for pilot selection and understanding the psychological characteristics associated with high-performance flying.