This study investigated the relationship between gender and competence as perceived by pilots. Scenarios were utilized that depicted an airline captain successfully landing an airplane amidst adverse conditions. Scenarios varied only by the gender of the Captain: male, female, or unspecified by variance of pilot name. Perceived effectiveness, competence, avoidance, blame, and attribution as depicted by the Captain's performance in the scenario were assessed by 30 male and 30 female certified flight instructors. Results showed that female flight instructors' ratings of avoidance ability and attribution for success differed from male flight instructors. Attribution for blame differences between scenario conditions was also found. No significant gender or scenario differences occurred for ratings of effectiveness or competence.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study investigated the relationship between gender and competence as perceived by pilots. Scenarios were utilized that depicted an airline captain successfully landing an airplane amidst adverse conditions. Scenarios varied only by the gender of the Captain: male, female, or unspecified by variance of pilot name. Perceived effectiveness, competence, avoidance, blame, and attribution as depicted by the Captain's performance in the scenario were assessed by 30 male and 30 female certified flight instructors. Results showed that female flight instructors' ratings of avoidance ability and attribution for success differed from male flight instructors. Attribution for blame differences between scenario conditions was also found. No significant gender or scenario differences occurred for ratings of effectiveness or competence.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Paulsen, Marianne"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Human Factors & Systems","degree_level":"Thesis - Open Access","degree_discipline":"Human Factors and Systems","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Christina M. Frederick","Dennis A. Vincenzi","Nancy Parker"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2002,"date_issued":"2002-04-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2002-04-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:23Z","subjects":["competence","pilots","gender","Applied Behavior Analysis","Aviation"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/163","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Christina M. Frederick","Dennis A. Vincenzi","Nancy Parker"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Paulsen, Marianne"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Human Factors and Systems"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - Open Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Human Factors & Systems"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["competence","pilots","gender","Applied Behavior Analysis","Aviation"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/163"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study investigated the relationship between gender and competence as perceived by pilots. Scenarios were utilized that depicted an airline captain successfully landing an airplane amidst adverse conditions. Scenarios varied only by the gender of the Captain: male, female, or unspecified by variance of pilot name. Perceived effectiveness, competence, avoidance, blame, and attribution as depicted by the Captain's performance in the scenario were assessed by 30 male and 30 female certified flight instructors. Results showed that female flight instructors' ratings of avoidance ability and attribution for success differed from male flight instructors. Attribution for blame differences between scenario conditions was also found. No significant gender or scenario differences occurred for ratings of effectiveness or competence.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Perception of Competence in Male and Female Pilots: Between Group Differences"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Christina M. Frederick","Dennis A. Vincenzi","Nancy Parker"],"dc:creator":["Paulsen, Marianne"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study investigated the relationship between gender and competence as perceived by pilots. Scenarios were utilized that depicted an airline captain successfully landing an airplane amidst adverse conditions. Scenarios varied only by the gender of the Captain: male, female, or unspecified by variance of pilot name. Perceived effectiveness, competence, avoidance, blame, and attribution as depicted by the Captain's performance in the scenario were assessed by 30 male and 30 female certified flight instructors. Results showed that female flight instructors' ratings of avoidance ability and attribution for success differed from male flight instructors. Attribution for blame differences between scenario conditions was also found. No significant gender or scenario differences occurred for ratings of effectiveness or competence.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/163"],"dc:subject":["competence","pilots","gender","Applied Behavior Analysis","Aviation"],"dc:title":["Perception of Competence in Male and Female Pilots: Between Group Differences"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Human Factors and Systems"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - Open Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Human Factors & Systems"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:23Z"}