PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTIONS TO INFANTRY BASIC TRAINING. II. ARE THE CHANGES STABLE
Abstract
IT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT PERSONALITY CHANGES RESULTING FROM BASIC TRAINING, AS REPORTED BY Ekman, Friesen and Lutzker, were stable over time or merely situational reactions to stress. Seventy ine of the original 92 subjects were retested with the MMPI at least six mo after the completion of basic training. Original test and retest data on these 79 men were analyzed with equivocal results. While some of the differences remained on retest and others did not, some new differences appeared. This leads one to wonder whether the changes reported in the earlier study are truly changes or if the groups differed to begin with. It should be emphasized that these alternatives are not mutually exclusive and that it is quit conceivable (in fact, probable) that both selection of subjec s and effects of basic training influenced the results. The original study, conceived as a pilot study, suggested some of the effects that basic training may have. T HE PRESENT STUDY, QUITE ACCIDENTALLY, POINTED OUT SOME OF THE INADEQUACIES OF THE FIRST. No conclusion can be drawn at the present time regarding the effects of basic training upon personality. A larger scale study controlli g more variables which may be relevant (e.g. religion, urban-rural residence, social class, etc.) seems to be needed. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 07, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0261749
Entities
People
- Daniel R. Lutzker