Measuring Leadership, Motivation, and Cohesion among U.S. Army Soldiers
Abstract
The purpose of this project was to develop measurement scales to use in determining and predicting small-unit effectiveness, as measured by success in simulated-combat exercises. The relative impact of cohesion, motivation, and leader performance were of particular interest. The need for concise, psychometrically sound, and military-relevant measurement of these constructs provided the impetus for the development and validation of these measures. In 1988, measurement scales were developed for the following constructs: platoon cohesion, job involvement motivation, identification with the Army, and two aspects of leadership: initiating structure and consideration. An initial questionnaire was administered in early 1989 to 252 platoon members and leaders. Means, standard deviations, internal consistency estimates, and scale factorial compositions were analyzed. After researchers used the results to rework the scales, they administered the questionnaire at a second site with 474 platoon members and leaders. The second administration also included measures of leader peer cohesion, field-exercise motivation, and the following aspects of leadership: participative leadership style, boss stress, and leader upward influence. The measures were evaluated using the same psychometric method used to evaluate the first administration. The data justified the use of the scales. Reliability estimates were virtually all satisfactory. Factor analysis revealed 11 one-dimensional scales or subscales. The scales were considerably shorter than analogous scales used in civilian organizational research and achieved satisfactory face validity.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA219924
Entities
People
- Fred A. Mael
Organizations
- U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences