The Role of Individual Differences in Confidence and Response Bias

Abstract

This research examined how individual differences in personality traits are related with confidence and response bias for situation awareness. Participants completed the big-five personality inventory, the Need for Closure scale inventory, and the unsafe attitude questionnaire followed by a flight situation awareness task designed to assess confidence level and response bias. The data obtained were then analyzed using the framework of Calibration and Signal Detection Theory. The results suggest that extraversion and emotional stability are positively correlated with overconfidence. In addition, extraversion, conscientiousness, and intellect are negatively correlated with response criteria. This suggests that those with lower levels of extraversion, conscientiousness, and intellect are likely to use more conservative response criteria. Our findings have a practical implication that student pilots' personality factors should be considered for effective pilot training.

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