A Flight Simulator Study of the Impairment Effects of Startle on Pilots During Unexpected Critical Events
Abstract
Abstract. Recent aircraft accidents have implicated startle as contributory, or directly causal, in situation outcome. The startle reflex is a ubiquitous response to surprising stimuli, which results in aversive movement and attentional orienting. Fear-potentiated startle, where a startling stimulus is experienced in the presence of conditions that are appraised as harmful or threatening, has the effect of initiating and exacerbating the stress response, particularly where threat persists, such as during an aircraft emergency. The deleterious effects of this stress response on cognitive function are discussed. Results from startle research in a B737 flight simulator showed considerable cognitive impairment in approximately one third of participants.
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