Human error is a critical cause of aviation accidents, and individual psychological factors strongly influence pilots' safety behaviors. Therefore, it is essential to identify factors that may affect pilots' safety behaviors and explore their mechanisms. Based on the General Aggression Model (GAM), this study investigated whether, how, and under what conditions the mental health factor of hostility impacts pilots' safety behaviors, using a sample of 893 Chinese commercial airline pilots. The results show that hostility has a direct negative effect on pilots' safety behaviors, and this relationship is partially mediated by impulsivity. Additionally, communication negatively moderates the indirect effect of hostility on safety behaviors through impulsivity: when communication levels are higher, impulsivity is relatively lower, and the negative indirect effect of hostility on safety behaviors is weaker. Finally, the study provides practical recommendations for aviation safety management regarding hostility intervention, impulsivity control, and enhancement of communication and collaboration. • Extends hostility research to aviation and confirms its negative effect on pilots' safety behavior. • Based on GAM, impulsivity affects appraisal from hostility to behavior, weakening pilots' safety behavior. • Provides practical suggestions: hostility intervention, impulsivity control, and communication enhancement for aviation safety management. Offers practical measures for aviation safety: hostility intervention, impulsivity control, and communication.
Xu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.