VALIDITY OF PERSONALITY INVENTORIES IN THE NAVAL AVIATION SELECTION PROGRAM.
Abstract
Various scales from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) correlated significantly with the military adjustment criteria. However, the MMPI is not recommended as a useful screening device because these validity coefficients are low. Furthermore, it is too long; it is fakeable; and the type of attrition which it predicts occurs in pre-flight and is not very costly to the navy. It is suggested that a shorter scale, used in conjuntion with other selection tests, might prove useful in the event of mobilization where a higher selection ratio could be used. Corroborative findings were obtained for the scales of the Guilford Zimmerman Temperament Survey (GZTS). Neither the MMPI or the GZTS correlated significantly with the ''fear of flying' criterior taken from a large sample of cadets. The Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMA) and the Saslow Sreening Test (SST) demonstrated concurrent validity but not predictive validity with the fear criterion. It appears, therefore, that the specific fear of flying conditioned a more generalized anxiety to which the TMA and SST were sensitive, rather than pre-existent anxiety determining the later fear reactions. The Heineman Manifest Anxiety Scale (HMA) was administered three successive times to the same cadets upon entering training, upon the completion of pre-flight, and upon dropping from flight training. Data from these three administrations suggest that for those subjectsfor whom fear plys an important role in failure to complete training, there is a gradual build-up in anxiety level as the point of stress (flying) is approached. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 15, 1957
- Accession Number
- AD0467983
Entities
People
- John T. Bair
- Robert B. Voas
- Rosalie K. Ambler
Organizations
- Naval Aerospace Medical Institute