EXAMINING CHANGE IN SELF-ASSESSMENTS OF DECISION MAKING UNDER STRESS IN A FLIGHT OPERATIONS CENTER SIMULATOR

Abstract

This study investigated the prediction of change in perceptions of decision making under stress (DMUS) using measures of personal fear of invalidity, stress, an initial assessment of decision making under stress, and a performance feedback metric. Subjects in this study were participants in a flight operations center simulator, where a team of individuals works together to operate a virtual airline while handling various routine and non-routine issues. An assessment of change in DMUS indicated participants in the simulator training reported increased perceptions of their ability to make decisions under stress after experiencing three flight operations simulations. A test of the model predicting DMUS indicated the only significant predictor of this variable was the initial (pre) assessment of DMUS. Future research should explore other performance-related and individual difference variables that may predict decision making under stress, a skill that is critically important to high-stress and high-pressure work environments.