Relationships of Type A Behavior with Biographical Characteristics and Training Performance of Air Traffic Controllers

Abstract

While there has been a considerable amount of research concerning the relationships between various cognitive measures and the selection and subsequent performance of Air Traffic Control Specialists (ATCSs), data concerning the potential importance of personality factors are quite limited. As part of an expanded research program, selected personality measures and biographical questionnaires have been administered to ATCSs at the time of their entry into the FAA Academy Nonradar Screen Program. A considerable body of research surrounds the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS) as a measure of Type A behavior, coronary proneness, and other health problems. More recently, a revised JAS scoring procedure has been developed for Achievement Striving (AS) and Impatience-Irritability (II) scales; those scales have been significantly and differentially related to job performance, academic achievement, job satisfaction, and negative effect (e.g., depression). The JAS and a biographical questionnaire were administered to 474 ATCS students at the beginning of the nine-week screening program. Scores on the traditional JAS, AS, and II scales were compared with measures of FAA Academy performance, and attitudinal and biographical data. Analyses of the JAS questions confirmed the presence of the As and II factors. In contrast to previous research, which documented a positive relationship between AS and academic achievement in college, correlations between As and Academy achievement were non-significant. Given the historical use of the JAS and current support for the existence of the new scales, longitudinal studies could examine the effectiveness of the JAS in predicting both the long-term job success of air traffic controllers and prospective health-related problems that might arise.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1994
Accession Number
ADA283813

Entities

People

  • C. S. Dollar
  • D. J. Schroeder
  • L. G. Nye

Organizations

  • Federal Aviation Administration

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Traffic
  • Air Traffic Controllers
  • Alcohol Consumption
  • Aviation Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena
  • Factor Analysis
  • Flight Training
  • Human Behavior
  • Job Satisfaction
  • Personality
  • Psychology
  • Students
  • Surveys
  • Trainees
  • Training
  • United States
  • Universities

Readers

  • Aviation Safety and Air Traffic Management
  • Psychometric Testing or Psychological Assessment.