Scale Development for Enlistment Motivation Measures
Abstract
Using the New Recruit Survey, this research developed multi-item scales to assess the importance of various factors in a recruit's decision to enlist. The data were collected from 1986 to 1989. The items were grouped into seven factors for the active Army and eight factors for the Reserve Components. Factors common to both samples include: self-improvement, education money, job skills, soldiering, benefits, and women's opportunities. The scales were examined for reliability and items that did not relate highly to other items were deleted. After the deletions the reliability was less than the acceptable level of .70 for five of the seven Active Army scales and four of the eight Reserve Components scales. Scale means found self-improvement to be considered most important, followed by education money and job skills. A number of scale differences were found across demographic variables. Issues that may influence the reliability of the scales and recommendations for increasing scale reliability are presented.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA227235
Entities
People
- Todd A. Baker
Organizations
- U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences