1. Flight emotions unleashed: Navigating training phases and difficulty levels in simulated flying.
- Author
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Ruiz‐Segura, Alejandra, Law, Andrew, Jennings, Sion, Bourgon, Alain, Churchill, Ethan, and Lajoie, Susanne
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REPEATED measures design , *TASK performance , *RESEARCH funding , *AROUSAL (Physiology) , *DATA analysis , *SKIN physiology , *ANGER , *DESCRIPTIVE statistics , *SIMULATION methods in education , *ANALYSIS of variance , *STATISTICS , *COMPUTER assisted instruction , *COMPARATIVE studies , *CONFIDENCE intervals , *AIR pilots , *FACIAL expression - Abstract
Background: Flying accuracy is influenced by pilots' affective reactions to task demands. A better understanding of task‐related emotions and flying performance is needed to enhance pilot training. Objective: Understand pilot trainees' performance and emotional dynamics (intensity, frequency and variability) based on training phase and difficulty level in a flight simulator. Methods: Twenty‐three volunteers performed basic flight manoeuvres. Trials were divided into three phases: Introduction (trials 1–7), session A (trials 8–15) and session B (trials 16–22). Three task difficulty levels were implemented (low, medium and high). Flying performance was evaluated using root mean square error (RMSE) and expert ratings. Emotional intensity was inferred from physiological (electrodermal activity) and behavioural (facial expressions) emotional responses. Emotional variability was calculated to understand fluctuations among multiple emotions. Emotional responses were mapped into task‐relevant emotions, like sadness with boredom, and fear with anxiety. Results and Conclusions: The most frequent facial expressions neutral, anger and surprise. Neutral and anger were interpreted as deep focus states. Surprise was likely a response to unexpected events. Flying performance and emotional dynamics varied across training phases and difficulty levels. During introduction, performance was less accurate, and emotions were less frequent. During session A, performance improved while participants experienced more physiological arousal and emotional variability. During session B, performance was the most accurate. In high‐difficulty tasks, performance was the least accurate, participants expressed emotions with more frequency, more variability and higher physiological arousal. Future studies can use simulated flying tasks for trainees to familiarize with their emotional reactions to task demands expecting to improve training outcomes. Lay Description: What is currently known about emotions in flight training?: Emotions influence pilots' decision‐making and flying accuracy.Flight simulations serve as a safe and authentic environment to develop flying skills.Emotions are dynamic processes that influence performance accuracy. What does this paper add to understanding emotions in flight training?: Flying performance improved with more practice, but it was less accurate during high difficulty manoeuvres.In simulated flight training, pilot trainees express more neutrality, anger, and surprise than happiness, fear and disgust.Pilot trainees experience more emotional fluctuations when there is no instructor feedback.Pilot trainees experience more emotional fluctuations during high difficulty flying manoeuvres. Implications for practice: Flight simulations help trainees familiarize themselves with the emotional reactions they have as training advances or encounter difficult tasks.Pilot trainees can learn emotion regulation techniques as part of their curriculum.Emotional awareness might help pilot trainees recognize key moments of disengagement or intense arousal and modify their behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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