Abstract

This research assessed working memory demands imposed by a flight situation awareness (SA) task and examined pilot performance on the task as a function of expertise and situation complexity. Forty pilots participated in the SA task to determine whether consecutive cockpit snapshots depicted an aircraft moving toward the goal state specified. We employed a mixed factorial design including the between-participants variable of pilot expertise (novice, expert) and the within-participants variables of the number of task (single, dual), situation complexity (single, double-independent, double-dependent), and goal-situation inconsistency type (opposite direction, undershoot the goal, overshoot the goal). Judgment sensitivity (d'), response bias, and judgment latency were measured as indices of SA performance. The results suggest that SA imposed substantial demands on pilot working memory regardless of piloting expertise and the demands were greater for goal-situation consistent judgments than for goal-situation inconsistent judgments when the situation complexity was double-independent. Also, pilots showed the greater judgment sensitivity for the double-dependent situation than for the double-independent situation. This effect might occur because pilots were able to keep track of inter-dependent flight elements by incorporating them into an associated unit to reduce working memory demands.