Impairment of flying efficiency in anancastic pilots

Previous work on the effects of stress upon flying efficiency has shown two types of psychological stress to exist; these are usually referred to as cognitive and affective stress, respectively. A refinement in affective stress analysis has enabled two subtypes of stress to be demonstrated--one is characterized by activity of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and subjective feelings of rage, fear, anxiety, or frustration; the other by excessive rumination. These two subtypes are found in differing personality configurations. Ten pilots exhibiting the former type of stress, and 6 with the latter, sought personal counseling regarding domestic problems. They underwent a regiment of 1-h weekly sessions consisting of a psychometric assessment, a psychophysiological evaluation of stress, and a complex ILS task in a specially modified type D4 Link Trainer. The performance of both groups, in terms of deviations from zero and RT to cockpit drill, was found to differ significantly from the standardized norms obtained from control groups in earlier studies, and to differ significantly from each other. The SNS-aroused group showed maximum impairment at the beginning of the 20-min flight task, but gradually improved with time. The Ruminative group showed less, but consistent, impairment throughout the task. Overcontrolling was a characteristic of the former group, while errors of omission characterized the latter. The psychology of rumination is briefly mentioned, its incidence in pilots considered, and reference made to the beneficial effects of sodium diphenylhydantoinate for this condition.