FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATM)Human Factors and CRMMedium
After the landing gear warning horn stops sounding, a captain concludes the gear is safely down and locked. He disregards the amber unsafe-gear indicator light still illuminated on the panel, focusing only on the silenced horn as proof the gear is fine. This is an example of:
- ASituational awareness
- BConfirmation bias
- CAuthority gradient
- DStartle effect
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Confirmation bias
Confirmation bias occurs when a person selectively attends to information that supports a preexisting belief while ignoring contradictory evidence. Here, the captain focuses on the silenced horn as confirming evidence while disregarding the illuminated warning light.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Situational awareness is the broader perception of surroundings, not the specific act of ignoring contrary data.
- C. Authority gradient refers to perceived power differences between crew members, unrelated here.
- D. Startle effect refers to a reflexive reaction to a sudden surprise, not selective interpretation of ongoing indications.
Confirmation Bias
The tendency to seek out, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms preexisting beliefs while disregarding contradictory evidence.
- Can cause pilots to miss disconfirming warning indications
- Often reinforced under stress or time pressure
- Countered by deliberately seeking disconfirming data and cross-checking instruments
Memory trick: Confirmation bias hears only what it wants to hear.