Cognitive and Personality Characteristics of Experienced and Inexperienced Sonar Operators

Abstract

Groups of Navy personnel with high, little, or no sonar experience were described and compared on a battery of a cognitive and personality measures. The experienced operator group was significantly stronger in visual- perceptual skills, high in positive life experiences, and low in negative life experiences and anxiety. The less experienced sonar trainees performed average or above average on all measures and had significantly high anxiety scores. Discriminant analyses using personality variables were more successful than using cognitive variables, yet classification of subjects into groups, further analyses revealed no meaningful difference between submarine and surface ship sonar operators. The results suggest that visual perceptual skills and certain personality characteristics which are distinctive in expert sonarmen may well have some predictive significance in sonar and warrant further research. Keywords: Selection, Attrition.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 02, 1987
Accession Number
ADA189304

Entities

People

  • David A. Kobus
  • Lawrence J. Lewandowski
  • Malia M. Flood

Organizations

  • Naval Health Research Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Administrative Personnel
  • Attrition
  • Biomedical Research
  • Classification
  • Data Science
  • Department Of Defense
  • Discriminant Analysis
  • Information Science
  • Navy
  • New York
  • Psychological Tests
  • Psychology
  • Security
  • Ships
  • Students
  • Submarines

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Acoustical Oceanography.
  • Brain and Cognitive Science; Experimental Psychology; Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Psychometric Testing or Psychological Assessment.