Personality Types of Student Pilots Admitted to the Aviation Flight Program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Noah

The study determines whether a statistically significant common personality type, or combinations of types, exist among 83 students enrolled in the Aviation Flight Department at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Student personality profiles were measured using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Basic demographic and academic variables (age, sex, high school GPA, and ACT scores) were also collected. Chi-square (χ²) analysis tested differences between the aviation student MBTI distribution and the general population, revealing notable departures.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND

Personality Types of Student Pilots Admitted to the Aviation Flight Program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale Michael F. Robertson andA.R. Putnam Southern Illinois University Carbondale ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a statistically significant common personality type or common combinations of type within the personality profiles among 83 students who enrolled in the Aviation Flight Department at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC) . The Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory (MBTI) was the instrument used to determine student’s personality types. Basic information including age, sex, high school grade point average and ACT scores were also collected. Data collected were analyzed using a chi-square (χ²) distribution to determine whether there was a statistical significant difference between the MBTI types of the Aviation Flight student population and the general population. The study revealed several personality types and personality type combinations among the students to have a statistical departure from the general population implying that there are personality types or combinations of type of students interested in becoming a professional pilot. INTRODUCTION Aviation psychologists have been interested in studying personality characteristics of pilots for years. A pilot’s personality characteristics are usually described as having good social skills and reasoning. Also, pilots need to deal with complex information, make quick decisions and often are required to interact with people (Rose, 2001) . Pilots are also generally seen as a consistent and stable group. Pilots like their information to be brief and concise and like tobe presented with the big picture or overview (Rose, 2001). Flying an airplane is goal directed. It is the pilot’s job to select the various sub goals that will lead to the accomplishment of the ultimate goal. Pilots’ activities can be thought of as procedural, decisional and perceptual motor (Roscoe, 1980) . The manner in which a pilot perceives information and makes judgments is important for the safety and successful completion of a flight. This study will use the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory (MBTI) to determine if there is a statistically significant common personality type or common combinations of type within the personality profiles among 83 students who enrolled in the Aviation Flight Department at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC) . BACKGROUND The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)(Myers & McCaulley, 1985) is a personality measure that was developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katherine Cook Briggs. The MBTI was based on Jung’s (1921) theory of psychological type. During the past 30 years, there has been an increase in the use of the inventory in both personal and professional settings. In 1920, a new theory concerning psychological type surfaced from a Swiss psychiatrist named Carl G. Jung. In 1921, Jung theorized that what appears to be random variation in human behavior actually is orderly, logical, and consistent and is the result of basic differences in mental functioning and attitude (Wicklein & Rojewski, 1995) . He wrote,“what appears to be random behavior is actually the result of differences in the way people prefer to use their mental capacities” (The Myers & Briggs Foundation, 2005, C.G. Jung’s Theory, ¶ 1). The essence of Jung’s personality theory was based on four mental processes or functions. These functions include sensing, intuition, thinking and feeling. Each of these functions involves an individual’s orientation towards themselves and their environment through perception and judgment (Myers & McCaulley, 1985) . Perception includes the process of becoming aware of things, people, ideas, and occurrences. Judgment includes the process of coming to a conclusion about what has been perceived. Perception and judgment make up a large portion of our mental activity. Perception

FAQs

What was the purpose of the study?

To determine whether aviation flight students share statistically significant common personality types or type combinations within their MBTI profiles.

Which instrument was used to assess students’ personality types?

The study used the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory (MBTI) to determine student personality types.

How were the data analyzed to test statistical significance?

Data were analyzed using a chi-square (χ²) distribution to compare MBTI types of the aviation student population with the general population.

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Noah