A psychological network analysis of self-reported spatial cognitive strategies in commercial airline pilots and non-pilots

Abstract

Objectives Spatial navigation is a critical skill in aviation. Traditional research focusing on isolated scores cannot reveal the interactive architecture of cognitive components. This study employed psychological network analysis to compare the self-reported spatial cognitive strategy structures of airline pilots and non-pilot controls. Methods In a cross-sectional design, 110 commercial airline pilots and 203 university students (non-pilot controls) completed self-report measures of spatial anxiety, wayfinding strategies, and sense of direction. Gaussian Graphical Models were used to estimate psychological networks for each group, followed by statistical comparison of their network structures. Results The pilot group reported greater use of orientation strategies and higher self-rated navigation ability. The global network structure differed significantly between the two groups despite comparable overall connectivity. However, no individual edge or centrality index reached statistical significance after correction, suggesting a distributed rather than hub-driven reconfiguration. All findings were derived from self-report measures and reflect subjective strategy patterns rather than objective cognitive performance. Conclusion The self-reported spatial strategy networks differed globally between the two groups, although no single edge or node drove the observed effect. These findings may reflect training effects, self-selection, or a combination of both, and the pronounced differences in sex and age distributions between the two groups may also have contributed to the observed network patterns. All inferences are limited to subjective strategy patterns rather than objective cognitive performance.