Laboratory-induced motion sickness and spatial disorientation, and adaptation to flight

Abstract

An experiment is described in which the method of visual distortion was used to induce symptoms of motion sickness and spatial disorientation in members of a group of student pilots at the commencement of their flying training. A questionnaire designed to elicit histories of motion sickness was also given. Follow-up testing after 14 months of training consisted of self-ratings by students of the experiences of airsickness and spatial disorientation; final flight ratings by instructors were also available. Significant positive intercorrelations were found among scores on the Visual Distortion Test, the Motion Sickness Questionnaire, and the Airsickness and Spatial Disorientation Questionnaire. Also, instructors' final flight ratings of success correlated negatively with the students' self-ratings of airsickness and spatial disorientation. Instructors' final flight ratings also correlated negatively with Motion Sickness Questionnaire scores, but failed to correlate significantly with the Visual Distortion Test. Motion SicknessAlthough motion sickness is traditionally associated with the effects of acceleratory forces acting on the nonauditory labyrinth, there are a number of situations in which symptoms may be induced without primary stimulation of the vestibular organs.* This paper is based on an experiment being part of the research undgrtaken for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Psychology at the University of Queensiand.