Soldier Alienation: A Measureable Concept
Abstract
In 1980, S.D. Wesbrook proposed and tested the hypothesis that there is a negative correlation between sociopolitical alienation (estrangement, separation from society) and the military efficiency of the junior enlisted soldier. Alienation was measured with a 41-item questionnaire and military efficiency with commander ratings of soldiers' job performance and reliability. Results supported the hypothesis. Implications of the findings as discussed by Wesbrook include: (1) improvements in organizational climate factors such as leadership, instruction, incentives, and working conditions are not apt to reduce markedly the number of ineffective soldiers in the Army; (2) reducing the level of alienation in society as a whole is the ultimate solution to the problem of large numbers of ineffective soldiers in today's Army: and (3) drawing a more representative sample of citizens for the Army (rather than recruiting from what have traditionally been the most alienated elements of society) would provide a more immediate solution. The author of the present study concludes that, although alienation is a meaningful concept as applied to the Army, levels of alienation cannot, with currently available questionnaire instruments, be meaningfuly measured in the Army.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADA145504
Entities
People
- D. H. Macpherson
- Douglas Holmes
Organizations
- U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences