Machismo

The belief that certain personality traits could result in potentially dangerous outcomes was first recognized in aviation, as ‘‘Arrogance got more pilots in trouble than faulty equipment” 1). Furthermore, it was even suggested that over half of the aviation disasters were related to poor pilot decision-making 2). This has resulted in pilots being trained to use mitigation techniques for specific attitudes, such as machismo, impulsiveness, anxiety, antiauthority, resignation, and invulnerability, to avoid disasters 3) 4) 5) 6).

Possessing a certain degree of machismo, antiauthority and self-confidence may be required from a leader in times of emergency. Such characteristics could have favorable consequences in that they offer stability and direction to a team in a precarious situation 7).

1)
Yeager C, Janos L. Yeager. New York, NY, USA: Bantam; 1985
2)
Administration UDoT-FA. Advisory Circular: Aeronautical Decision Making. Advisory Circular 60-22 Washington, DC, USA. 1991.
3)
Diehl AE, Hwoschinsky PV, Lawton RS, Livack GS, editors. Aeronautical decision making for student and private pilots. Washington, DC, USA: US Department of Transportation-Federal Aviation Administration; 1987.
4)
Federal Aviation Administration. Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge FAA-H8083-25. Oklahoma City, OK, USA: US Department of TransportationFederal Aviation Administration; 2003.
5)
Administration UDoT-FA. Advisory circular: aeronautical decision making. Washington, DC, USA: US Department of Transportation-Federal Aviation Administration; 1991
6)
Hunter DR. Dealing with hazardous attitudes. Available at: <http://www. avhf.com/html/Evaluation/GMasonHazAttitudeScale/Hazard_Attitude_ Training.htm> [accessed 01.02.18]
7)
Muskens IS, van der Burgt SME, Senders JT, Lamba N, Peerdeman SM, Broekman ML. Behavior and attitudes among European neurosurgeons - An international survey. J Clin Neurosci. 2018 Jul 17. pii: S0967-5868(18)30938-X. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2018.07.019. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30029955.