Performance Motivation in Armor Training

Abstract

Motivation generally affects performance. This research asked specifically what performance outcomes (rewards) would motivate tank crews to perform better during training. First, 52 Armor crewmen answered, on a list of potentially useful recognition and tangible reward outcomes, how much they valued each one and what they felt was the probability of their getting it. Later, answers from 112 other crewmen confirmed and refined the outcome values, as well as indicating that outcome values were constant across rank for grades E2-E5. Outcomes with the highest combined scores were then offered as rewards for high performance during training, to 108 Armor crewmen. Analysis of results showed that for tank commanders, drivers, and loaders, performance in general was positively related to recognition-based motivation and negatively related to tangible reward. For gunners, performance was negatively related to recognition- based motivation. Strategies for motivation management programs could probably be based on recognition.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1978
Accession Number
ADA064247

Entities

People

  • Newell K. Eaton

Organizations

  • U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Applied Psychology
  • Army Personnel
  • Behavioral Sciences
  • Employment
  • Management Personnel
  • Military Education
  • Military Research
  • Military Training
  • New York
  • Perception
  • Personnel Management
  • Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Social Sciences
  • Students
  • Training
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Life Cycle Cost Analysis
  • Military Science
  • Organizational Psychology.