FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
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AVIATION MEDICINE REPORTS

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-91/8

Title and Subtitle: Some Personality Characteristics of Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS) Trainees: Interactions of Personality and Aptitude Test Scores with FAA Academy Success and Career Expectations

Report Date: May 1991

Authors: Nye, L.G. and Collins, W.E.

Abstract: The State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI) is a self-report inventory which measures anxiety, curiosity, and anger (Spielberger, 1979). The three 'trait' scale scores are determined by the frequency of each emotion as stable personality constructs. The Multiplex Controller Aptitude Test (MCAT) is the primary selection test completed by ATCS applicants. The STPI was given to 1,284 students who entered the FAA Academy nonradar screen program between October 1986 and September 1987. Men and women ATCS tra1nees exhibited less anxiety and anger than normative groups of college students and Navy recruits. Also, in most comparisons, the ATCS sample indicated greater curiosity. ATCS pass rates were reduced within each MCAT score level for the groups of entrants with anxiety or anger scores above the nonnative levels.

Personality trait profiles differed significantly for groups when they were categorized by both self-expected Job performance levels and Job satisfaction, but not aptitude score levels. Analyses indicated significant relationships between anxiety and lower Job performance self-expectations and between curiosity and higher self-expected Job satisfaction. FAA Academy entrants have a group profile indicating relatively low levels of trait anxiety and anger. Personality factors can impact a) the preductive validity of the MCAT in determining a student's aptitude for learning air traffic control principles/procedures and b) potentially, organizational goals such as increasing employee job satisfaction.

Key Words: Training, Personality, Anxiety

No. of Pages: 16