Threat anticipation and proactive response
The effect of defensive pessimism strategy on pilots' safety behavior
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 9405184 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Shuai Xu (0000-0001-7919-2874, corresponding author), Shu Li (0000-0003-4402-1674, Civil Aviation University of China), Hao Yang (0000-0003-2138-7307, China University of Political Science and Law), Yang Hao (0000-0002-9949-7226), Xudong Xie (0000-0002-5932-1496), Chaocao Yang (0009-0000-8946-8694), Ming Ji (0000-0002-2629-2967) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 262 |
| Pages | 106047-106047 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-08 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Acta Psychologica (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0001-6918 • E-ISSN: 1873-6297 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.106047 |
| PMID | 41365013 |
| OpenAlex | W4417230831 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 17 |
Human error is a significant cause of aviation accidents, and numerous individual psychological factors strongly influence pilots' safety behavior. Therefore, it is crucial to identify factors that may enhance pilots' safety behavior and explore their underlying mechanisms. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study examines whether, how, and under what conditions defensive pessimism affects pilots' safety behavior from a cognitive strategy perspective. Using a sample of 308 Chinese commercial airline pilots, we tested a moderated mediation model between defensive pessimism strategy and pilots' safety behaviors. The results indicate that defensive pessimism strategy has a direct positive effect on pilots' safety behavior and that this relationship is partially mediated by safety attitudes. Additionally, safety culture negatively moderates both the positive relationship between defensive pessimism strategy and safety attitudes and the indirect effects of this cognitive strategy on safety behavior through safety attitudes. On a theoretical level, this study first validates the effectiveness of the defensive pessimism strategy within the high-risk context of aviation safety, thereby advancing the understanding of its unique mechanisms. Second, by elucidating how individuals proactively employ specific cognitive strategies to shape behavioral attitudes and subsequently influence actual behavior, this study extends the Theory of Planned Behavior from a cognitive strategy perspective. Furthermore, it explores the boundary condition of safety culture, deepening our understanding of the interaction between organizational environments and individual cognitive strategies. Finally, on a practical level, this research offers valuable insights for aviation safety management, informing practices related to pilot selection, daily mental health support, and the exploratory development of the defensive pessimism strategy into a potential risk management tool
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The impact of organizational climate on safety climate and individual behavior
The theory of planned behavior
Common method biases in behavioral research
Self-Reports in Organizational Research
The Effects of Flight Management Attitude on the Standardization of the Navigation Behavior of Airline Pilots
Addressing Moderated Mediation Hypotheses
Identifying Cognitive Mechanism Underlying Situation Awareness of Pilots’ Unsafe Behaviors Using Quantitative Modeling
Defensive pessimism-like thinking in practice
Mood and performance among defensive pessimists and strategic optimists
The motivational and emotional consequences of considering positive or negative possibilities for an upcoming event
Defensive pessimism
A Quadripolar Need Achievement Representation of Self-Handicapping and Defensive Pessimism
Defensive pessimism, optimism, and stimulating alternatives
Safety Culture and Risk Management in Organizations
| Highly cited | No |
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