The Use of a Vocational Interest Test in Recruiting Minority and Caucasian Officer Candidates: An Exploratory Study.
Abstract
An informal exploratory study was conducted to evaluate the possibility of using vocational interest tests to identify potential career naval officers from a population of high school boys. A major focus of the study was the recruitment of minority group members for the officer corps. Approximately 500 eleventh grade males in a number of San Diego high schools were tested with the Strong Vocational Interest Blank (SVIB). The students' scores on the various occupational scales (e.g., doctor, accountant, carpenter, etc.) were provided to the counselors for use in vocational guidance. The SVIBs were also scored on scales specially developed by this Laboratory for identifying career-oriented Navy officers. Relatively high scores on these Navy scales were earned by 100 boys, 33 of whom are minority group members. Interviews were arranged for these students with a Naval Academy Information Officer. About 40 of the boys interviewed, including 12 minority members, indicated a positive interest in a Navy career. Many of these had not previously considered the possibility of a Navy career. Although no followup has yet been possible, this pilot study appears to provide a promising approach toward identifying Navy career-oriented young men. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0728777
Entities
People
- Bernard Rimland
- Patricia J. Thomas
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory