The relationship between sense of calling and safety behavior among airline pilots: The role of harmonious safety passion and safety climate

Abstract

Pilot safety behavior plays a crucial role in airlines safety performance and aviation safety, so it is vital to identify factors that may enhance pilot safety behavior and explore their mechanisms. Drawing upon self-determination theory, this study examines whether, how, and when the sense of calling influences pilot safety behavior from the perspective of occupational psychology. Using a sample of 321 Chinese commercial airline pilots, we tested a moderated mediation model in which the relationship between sense of calling and pilot safety behavior was mediated by harmonious safety passion and moderated by safety climate. The results indicated that the sense of calling had a positive direct effect on pilot safety behavior and that this relationship was partially mediated by harmonious safety passion. Moreover, safety climate negatively moderates the positive relationship between sense of calling and harmonious safety passion as well as the indirect effect of sense of calling on safety behavior via harmonious safety passion. In particular, sense of calling had a stronger effect on harmonious safety passion and a stronger indirect effect on safety behavior when the safety climate was lower. Theoretical contributions and practical implications for aviation safety managementpractices are discussed.