Aviation psychology: development stage in science and education

Introduction. Aviation psychology is a sphere of psychology that makes a significant contribution to ensuring aviation safety. The changes taking place at different levels of aviation psychology methodology require prompt reflection and critical assessment for prognostication of its further development. The purpose of this paper is to study the current stage of aviation psychology development in science and education, based on the materials from foreign and Russian sources. Materials and methods. The research materials represent a corpus of articles of foreign and Russian periodicals, collections of applied research conferences, monographs, and training toolkits. The research method represents the analysis of aviation psychology development directions, along with the consideration of peculiarities of the Russian aviation psychology development. Results. Aviation psychologists investigate the causes of aviation accidents caused by the human factor, improve the methods of psychological selection and simulator training, resolve the problems of optimisation of aircraft-specific work and find prerequisites for efficient operation of unmanned aerial vehicles in the conditions of the technological progress in the aerospace industry. Aviation psychology is taught at specialised higher education institutions and aviation training centres. Aviation psychology is in possession of inexhaustible cognitive resources for vocational guidance of young people. Conclusion. The current state of development of aviation psychology in science and education makes it possible to solve the pressing tasks aimed at increasing the reliability of aviation as a defence transport system. Most publications are related to engineering and psychological tasks involved in securing flight safety in the context of cockpit and control equipment ergonomics design, information support for pilots; improving the methodology of flight- and ground training of pilots based on digital technologies; development of interfaces for operators of remotely piloted aircraft. Russian aviation psychology is characterised by the orientation towards cultivating the cultural, historical, and moral foundations of professionalism in aviation.

Aviation Psychology – Applied Methods and Techniques

This collection of chapters on the latest methods and tools for applied research in aviation psychology guides the diverse range of professionals working within aviation on how to adapt flexibly to the continuously evolving requirements of the aeronautical landscape. Experts from the industry and academia explore selected applications, ranging from aviation system engineering to bridging the gap between research and industrialization, safety culture, training and examination. Psychological tools are explored, including designing biocybernetic adaptive systems, predictive automation, and support for designing the human role in future human–machine teaming concepts. Special chapters are dedicated to spatial disorientation, reactivity, stress, eye-tracking, electrodermal and cardiac assessment under the influence of G forces. This is essential reading for aviation psychologists, human factors practitioners, engineers, designers, operational specialists, students and researchers in academia, industry, and government. The practitioners and researchers working in other safety critical domains (e.g., medicine, automotive) will also find the handbook valuable.

The Issue of Safety in the Flying Profession

The article provides a theoretical analysis of the problem of psychological safety in the flight operation of highly automated aircraft based on interdisciplinary research. Scientific and technological advances in high-risk occupations aim to improve the reliability of the functioning of ergative systems, of which the human operator is the most important element. However, the problem of occupational safety for professionals in extreme situations cannot be regarded as solved. The article covers findings regarding the application of modern digital solutions such as virtual reality and augmented reality, providing an example of a formal investigation into an aircraft accident due to human error. An urgent task of aviation psychology consists of studying psychological aspects of the positive and negative influences of augmented reality on flight activity, since besides obvious options of increasing the professional reliability of a pilot, there is a risk of emergence of a psychological dependence on such a technology, and the consequent occurrence of blunders in piloting and navigation strategies. The authors conclude that the issue of safety in the flying profession shall be solved through the joint effort of all sciences of human factors. Modern digital solutions are only an essential prerequisite for ensuring the occupational safety of pilots. All stages of professionalisation of flight staff, starting with the professional selection of applicants, should be accompanied by predictive methods aimed at diagnosing and developing the individual’s ability to use the possibilities of the real and virtual world productively and synchronously in their work.

History of military psychology

Military psychology is a specialist discipline within applied psychology. It entails the application of psychological science to military operations, systems and personnel. The specialty was formally founded during World War I in the UK and the USA, and it was integral to many early concepts and interventions for psychological and neuropsychological trauma. It also established a fundamental basis for the psychological assessment and selection of military personnel. During and after World War II, military psychology continued to make significant contributions to aviation psychology, cognitive testing, rehabilitation psychology and many models of psychotherapy. Military psychology now consists of several subspecialties, including clinical, research and occupational psychology, with the latter often referred to in the USA as industrial/organisational psychology. This article will provide an overview of the origins, history and current composition of military psychology in the UK, with select international illustrations also being offered.