Stelling Dirk
Department of Aviation and Space Psychology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany.
Front Psychol. 2023 Aug 1;14:1173622. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1173622. eCollection 2023.
The objective of this study is to research personality trait differences across generations and the impact of age, gender and self-presentation on these traits.
A total of 82,147 applicants (aged 17-24) for aviation training (pilot, air traffic controller), born between 1965 and 2002, were divided into three cohorts (Generation X, Y, Z). We analysed data from the (TSS) personality questionnaire, which was collected during selection procedures between 1987 and 2019. Generational differences were analysed by ANCOVAs with generation and gender as group factors, controlled by age and self-presentation (social desirability).
Age had no significant impact, but we observed slight gender differences in emotional stability, vitality, empathy, and self-presentation across all generations. The generational differences found exhibited extremely small effect sizes, suggesting that applicants have become more extraverted, controlled (with lower aggression and higher rigidity), and inclined to present themselves in a more favourable manner.
We discuss the implications of these findings for the aviation industry and the applicability of Generation theory in personality trait research.
本研究的目的是探究不同代际间的人格特质差异，以及年龄、性别和自我呈现对这些特质的影响。
共有82147名1965年至2002年出生的航空培训（飞行员、空中交通管制员）申请者（年龄在17 - 24岁之间）被分为三组（X代、Y代、Z代）。我们分析了1987年至2019年选拔过程中收集的（TSS）人格问卷数据。以代际和性别作为组因素，通过协方差分析（ANCOVAs）分析代际差异，并控制年龄和自我呈现（社会期望性）。
年龄没有显著影响，但我们观察到在所有代际中，情绪稳定性、活力、同理心和自我呈现在性别上存在细微差异。发现的代际差异效应量极小，这表明申请者变得更加外向、自控（攻击性较低且刻板性较高），并且倾向于以更有利的方式展现自己。
我们讨论了这些发现对航空业的意义以及代际理论在人格特质研究中的适用性。
