SKYJACKING, AIRLINE SECURITY, AND PASSENGER REACTIONS TOWARD A COMPLEX MODEL FOR PREDICTION

• NCJ Number: 62232
• Journal: American Psychologist Volume: 27 Dated: (JUNE 1972) Pages: 539-545
• Author(s): C E BOLTWOOD; M R COOPER; V E FEIN; P V WASHBURN
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: American Psychological Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: THIS ARTICLE IS BASED ON A SHORTER PAPER PRESENTED BY M R COOPER AT THE MEETING OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION UNDER THE SPONSORSHIP OF DIVISION 9, WASHINGTON, DC, SEPTEMBER 1971 (SEE COOPER, FEIN, WASHBURN, & BOLTWOOD, 1971)

Annotation

A MODEL DESIGNED TO PREDICT AIRLINE PASSENGER'S REACTIONS TO VARIOUS SKYJACKING SECURITY MEASURES IS DEVELOPED.

Abstract

THE AIMS OF THE STUDY WERE TO INVESTIGATE THREE DIMENSIONS OF PASSENGER ATTITUDES (CONVENIENCE, FAVORABILITY, EFFECTIVENESS) REGARDING SEVEN PROPOSED SECURITY PROCEDURES, TO INVESTIGATE PARTICULAR ATTITUDINAL RESPONSE PATTERNS AS THEY RELATED TO PARTICULAR SUBGROUPS OF THE SAMPLE, AND TO INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF USING A GENERAL CONSTRUCT (OVERALL CONCERN FOR SECURITY) TO ACCOUNT FOR AND AID IN THE PREDICTION OF REACTIONS TO SPECIFIC SECURITY MEASURES. THE PROPOSED SECURITY MEASURES INVOLVED (1) OPENING AND INSPECTING ALL LUGGAGE TO BE TRANSPORTED ON THE AIRLINE, (2) FRISKING ALL PASSENGERS BEFORE BOARDING, (3) IMPOSING A MANDATORY LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR HIJACKING, (4) TRAINING AIRLINE PERSONNEL IN CLOSE-QUARTER COMBAT, (5) CHANGING LAWS TO ENABLE AIRPORT SECURITY GUARDS TO FRISK SUSPICIOUS-LOOKING PASSENGERS, (6) INCREASING FARES BY 5 PERCENT TO IMPROVE SECURITY MEASURES, AND (7) REPLACING STEWARDESSES WITH ARMED GUARDS. INTERVIEWS WITH 102 PASSENGERS AT COLUMBUS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN OHIO CONSISTED OF RECORDING THE PASSENGERS' ORAL RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS CONTAINED IN THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND ASKING THE PASSENGERS TO RATE THE PROPOSED SECURITY MEASURES ON THE 5-POINT SCALE FOR EACH OF THE THREE DIMENSIONS. THE STUDY SHOWED NO SINGLE FACTOR THAT ADEQUATELY ACCOUNTS FOR THE ATTITUDES OF AIRLINE PASSENGERS REGARDING SECURITY PROCEDURES. EIGHT ORTHOGONAL FACTORS WERE FOUND TO REPRESENT DIFFERENT ATTITUDE CONSTRUCTS FOR SPECIFIC PASSENGER SUBGROUPS: PASSENGERS WHO FLY FREQUENTLY, OLDER PASSENGERS WHO FLY FREQUENTLY, OLDER MALES WHO FLY FREQUENTLY, MALES IN GENERAL, MALES WHO FLY FREQUENTLY ON SHORT LENGTHS, FEMALES WHO FLY FREQUENTLY, PASSENGERS TRAVELING ON A SMALL AIRLINE, AND YOUNGER PASSENGERS. OVERALL, THE MOST FAVORABLE ITEMS WERE ONES THAT WOULD NOT AFFECT THE PASSENGER DIRECTLY: LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR SKYJACKERS AND A LOW CHANGE TO EXTEND THE AUTHORITY OF AIRPORT GUARDS TO FRISK SUSPICIOUS PASSENGERS. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)