Abstract

Spatial disorientation is the singular most common factor in human-error aviation accidents, and over ninety percent of those accidents are fatal. Despite advances in aviation over the past one hundred years in both technology and training, spatial disorientation mishaps continue at a steady pace, even though other incidents declining in frequency. Because spatial disorientation is a highly complex phenomena that involves the vestibular system, the visual system, and cognitive factors such as workload and attention, predicting spatial disorientation is extremely difficult. Likewise, exactly replicating spatial disorientation for training purposes is challenging as well as extremely dangerous and costly. The goal of this study was twofold: to understand if innate abilities can predict propensity for spatial disorientation, and to investigate the efficacy of using story-based vignettes – narratives – to train spatial disorientation to increase schematic learning in pilots. Results demonstrated that performance on a spatial orientation task such as the Direction Orientation Task (DOT) is not a reliable predictor for spatial disorientation recognition based on self-report spatial disorientation frequency. In addition, though story-based vignettes demonstrated potential for increased cue recognition over a control training event, significant differences were not found in novel spatial disorientation recognition, critical cue identification, or confidence. These findings indicate that spatial disorientation could be a completely perceptual (bottom-up) task rather than one that is both top-down and bottom-up and implies future research into the ways we describe and measure spatial disorientation in order to understand it as well as train for it.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2022

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Hancock, Peter

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

School of Modeling, Simulation, and Training

Degree Program

Modeling & Simulation

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0009644; DP0027485

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0027485

Language

English

Release Date

February 2026

Length of Campus-only Access

3 years

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Campus-only Access)

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