Aviation Psychology and Human Factors

Pilots high in trait mindfulness tend to be involved in fewer hazardous aviation incidents, according to a study published in the Journal of Safety Research. The study found that trait mindfulness had a direct and negative effect on airlines pilots'...

Professional pilots with more flight experience are less likely to believe that accidents are the result of circumstances outside of their control, according to new research in Aviation Psychology and Applied Human Factors. "I’ve always been a bit of a...

A new study suggests that inappropriate presenteeism -- working in spite of being sick, having poor mental health, or feeling fatigued -- is fairly common among Swedish commercial airline pilots. The findings appear in The International Journal of Aerospace Psychology....

There was a temporary rise in aircraft-assisted pilot suicides following the September 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, according to new research in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The findings suggest that...

Post-traumatic stress disorder has been implicated in a very small percentage of fatal aviation accidents, according to new research published in the journal Aviation Psychology and Applied Human Factors. "There is a practical need to understand the implications of pilots...

People have trouble remembering information from preflight safety briefings, according to new research published in The International Journal of Aerospace Psychology. "Passenger safety is important. There are, however, few opportunities to convey the importance of this and how passengers can...

Commercial airline pilots could have "similar or potentially increased risks" of experiencing depression, according to new research published in Frontiers in Psychology. The research was a systematic review of 20 prior studies related to depression, suicide, substance abuse, and fatigue...

New aviation psychology research provides evidence that pilots' responses to surprises can be improved through a particular type of simulator training. The findings suggest that predictable training scenarios are insufficient to prepare pilots for unexpected situations in-flight. "Our latest study,...

Would you fly in an airplane with no human pilot? According to a new study in the International Journal of Aerospace Psychology, people are much more willing to fly when a human is in the cockpit rather than an autonomous...

It may be better for airline captains to act more like the captains of ship. A new scientific review article published in Aviation Psychology and Applied Human Factors suggests flying is safer when the captain supervises the flight crew rather...

A new study in the Journal of Consumer Affairs provides evidence that airline mergers can improve consumers' perceptions of services. The research examined the merger between United Airlines and Continental Airlines, which was agreed to in 2010 and completed in...

A person who can perform a task in a predictable situation won't necessarily be able to perform that same task when surprised, according to new research published in The International Journal of Aerospace Psychology. The study suggests that flight training...

She no longer recognizes a Van Gogh, but can tell you how to prepare a watercolor palette. She can't recall a single famous composer, but knows the purpose of a viola's bridge. She hasn't flown a plane since 2007, when...

In the summer of 2010, Ryan Clark twisted his ankle during a gym class. It was painful, but inconvenient more than anything. He was put on crutches for a week and his ankle healed. Then, six weeks later, the pain...