Airport Security Screener Competency: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis

Halbherr, Tobias; Schwaninger, Adrian; Budgell, Glen R.; Wales, Alan

doi:10.1080/10508414.2011.582455

Cited by 46 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…By guaranteeing a smooth procedure at security checkpoints when inspecting passenger luggage with x-ray imaging and by carrying out follow-up checks on passengers and hand luggage, airport security officers (screeners) perform vital security tasks. Studies with screeners have seen an emphasis on visual search in x-ray images, optimizing technology, and using security training programs to improve detection performance (e.g., von Bastian et al, 2008 ; Koller et al, 2009 ; Halbherr et al, 2013 ; Mendes et al, 2013 ; Wolfe et al, 2013 ; Biggs and Mitroff, 2014 ; Mitroff et al, 2015 ). Up to now, the health and well-being of screeners have not been the focus of research.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emotional Exhaustion and Job Satisfaction in Airport Security Officers – Work–Family Conflict as Mediator in the Job Demands–Resources Model

2016

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The growing threat of terrorism has increased the importance of aviation security and the work of airport security officers (screeners). Nonetheless, airport security research has yet to focus on emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction as major determinants of screeners’ job performance. The present study bridges this research gap by applying the job demands–resources (JD–R) model and using work–family conflict (WFC) as an intervening variable to study relationships between work characteristics (workload and supervisor support), emotional exhaustion, and job satisfaction in 1,127 screeners at a European airport. Results of structural equation modeling revealed that (a) supervisor support as a major job resource predicted job satisfaction among screeners; (b) workload as a major job demand predicted their emotional exhaustion; and (c) WFC proved to be a promising extension to the JD–R model that partially mediated the impact of supervisor support and workload on job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emotional Exhaustion and Job Satisfaction in Airport Security Officers – Work–Family Conflict as Mediator in the Job Demands–Resources Model

2016

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“…Although task-specific training can greatly improve performance (Koller et al, 2008 , 2009 ), large individual differences in coping with such image-based factors persist, as shown by studies in which novices and trained professionals are tested with the same protocol (Hardmeier et al, 2005 ; Schwaninger et al, 2005 , 2010 ; Hardmeier and Schwaninger, 2008 ). It has also been shown that some of the weakest trained screeners may perform worse than the best untrained screeners (Halbherr et al, 2013 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

XRIndex: a brief screening tool for individual differences in security threat detection in x-ray images

Rusconi

Ferri

Viding

et al. 2015

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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X-ray imaging is a cost-effective technique at security checkpoints that typically require the presence of human operators. We have previously shown that self-reported attention to detail can predict threat detection performance with small-vehicle x-ray images (Rusconi et al., 2012). Here, we provide evidence for the generality of such a link by having a large sample of naïve participants screen more typical dual-energy x-ray images of hand luggage. The results show that the Attention to Detail score from the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) questionnaire (Baron-Cohen et al., 2001) is a linear predictor of threat detection accuracy. We then develop and fine-tune a novel self-report scale for security screening: the XRIndex, which improves on the Attention to Detail scale for predictive power and opacity to interpretation. The XRIndex is not redundant with any of the Big Five personality traits. We validate the XRIndex against security x-ray images with an independent sample of untrained participants and suggest that the XRIndex may be a useful aid for the identification of suitable candidates for professional security training with a focus on x-ray threat detection. Further studies are needed to determine whether this can also apply to trained professionals.

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“…For aviation security, identification of determinants of x-ray screening performance is of particular importance. Hitherto, selection of the most "talented" x-ray screening applicants (in terms of visual abilities needed to cope with image-based factors) and training of visual knowledge is practiced (Bolfing & Schwaninger, 2009;Halbherr, Schwaninger, Budgell, & Wales, 2013). However, as shown by covert tests, these activities are insufficient to guarantee that screeners act correctly when confronted with real threat items at a security checkpoint, especially when exposed to something unexpected (Schwaninger, 2009;Wetter, Hardmeier, & Hofer, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stress‐induced cortisol secretion impairs detection performance in x‐ray baggage screening for hidden weapons by screening novices

et al. 2014

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Aviation security strongly depends on screeners' performance in the detection of threat objects in x-ray images of passenger bags. We examined for the first time the effects of stress and stress-induced cortisol increases on detection performance of hidden weapons in an x-ray baggage screening task. We randomly assigned 48 participants either to a stress or a nonstress group. The stress group was exposed to a standardized psychosocial stress test (TSST). Before and after stress/nonstress, participants had to detect threat objects in a computer-based object recognition test (X-ray ORT). We repeatedly measured salivary cortisol and X-ray ORT performance before and after stress/nonstress. Cortisol increases in reaction to psychosocial stress induction but not to nonstress independently impaired x-ray detection performance. Our results suggest that stress-induced cortisol increases at peak reactivity impair x-ray screening performance.

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Airport Security Screener Competency: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis

Cited by 46 publications

References 14 publications

Emotional Exhaustion and Job Satisfaction in Airport Security Officers – Work–Family Conflict as Mediator in the Job Demands–Resources Model

Emotional Exhaustion and Job Satisfaction in Airport Security Officers – Work–Family Conflict as Mediator in the Job Demands–Resources Model

XRIndex: a brief screening tool for individual differences in security threat detection in x-ray images

Stress‐induced cortisol secretion impairs detection performance in x‐ray baggage screening for hidden weapons by screening novices

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