The Field Guide › Paper

Silence That May Kill: When Aircrew Members Don't Speak Up and Why

Bienefeld · Voice & Silence, Culture & Context · Aviation Psychology and Applied Human Factors · 2012 · Open access

Survey of 1,751 cockpit and cabin crew members finding that silence occurred in half of all speaking-up episodes. Silence was highest for First Officers and pursers, driven by fears of damaging relationships, punishment, and operational pressure. Different occupational groups had distinct barriers — arguing for group-specific rather than generic CRM interventions.

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