| Abstract |
| Using flight simulator tasks with 48 air force cadets, this research examined the effects of pilots` flight skill and self-esteem on risk-taking behavior in the context of social comparison with their cohorts. Flight skill and self-esteem were assessed for individual cadets and three conditions of social comparison (upward-, downward-, and no-comparison) were devised. Flight simulator situations inappropriate for further approach or landing were designed to assess pilots` risk-taking behavior. Weather conditions in the simulator were inadequate to make a landing and the recommended strategy was to break off the approach and attempt a go-around. In this experiment, pilots` risk taking was measured in terms of their approach altitudes; the lower approach altitudes indicative of the higher risk-taking. Our results showed interaction effects of flight skill, self-esteem, and social comparison on risk-taking behaviors. For pilots who were either high or low in both self-esteem and flight skill, social comparison had no effect on risk-taking behavior. However, pilots with high self-esteem but low flight skill showed more risk-taking behaviors in social comparison conditions. And, pilots with low self-esteem but high flight skill showed risk-aversive behaviors in the downward-comparison condition. |
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| Key Words |
| 조종사, 비행능력, 자존감, 비교상황, 위험행동, pilot, flight skill, self-esteem, social comparison, risk taking |
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