Methodological issues in Navy Surveys

A number of important methodological issues involving surveys have emerged in Navy research. One such issue is whether results from computer-administered sur- veys are equivalent to those obtained from paper-and-pencil surveys. After a review of relevant Navy studies, we concluded that computer and paper surveys generally yield equivalent results. The Navy's efforts and success at computerizing command- level equal opportunity surveys is described, and the advantages of this approach are discussed. The Navy's survey work on diversity issues (e.g., Hispanics, sexual harassment, and pregnancy) is described and the problems posed by attempting to use surveys to identify who is Hispanic and to determine accurate rates of sexual harassment and pregnancy are outlined. Future issues to be addressed by Navy survey research are discussed.     

Assessment of Sexual Harassment in the Active-Duty Navy

This article reviews past research and the series of events that led to the implementation in 1989 of a biennial U.S. Navy-wide survey of sexual harass- ment for active-duty personnel. Results from the most recent administration of this survey in 1991 are presented and compared to the 1989 findings. In 1991, 44% of enlisted women and 33% of female officers indicated that they had been sexually harassed during the 1-year survey period. Small percentages of en- listed men (8%) and male officers (2%) reported being sexually harassed during the same period. These percentages represent a significant increase from those found in 1989 for two groups: female officers and enlisted men. Specific information regarding the forms of sexual harassment behaviors, the character- istics of victims and perpetrators, actions taken following harassment, and the effects of the harassment experience are presented. Last, data exploring meth- odological issues in the measurement of sexual harassment through surveys are presented and discussed.     

Microcomputer Applications: Microcomputer Applications: Accelerating the Salesperson Learning Curve

Marketing researchers, in general, have increased their usage of multi-item scaled measures dramatically in the past decade. This article relates a project that categorized and summarized the uses of these measures during the 1980's. It describes first some general findings vis-a-vis all areas of marketing research and then gives some highlights of sales related measures in specific. Finally, based on our observations during the course of the project we make some basic recommendations for the improvement of scale-measurement and reporting.     

Suicides in active-duty enlisted Navy personnel.

Cases of completed suicide among U.S. Navy enlisted personnel occurring from 1974 through 1985 were identified and compared with similar rates in the U.S. general population and in the U.S. Army. Although the Navy suicide rate was the lowest of the three groups, this rate increased between 1976 and 1983. This was in contrast to national and Army trends during the same period. Young white males in the apprentice/recruit and blue-collar occupations had the highest rates of completed suicide in the Navy. Recommendations for prevention and treatment are discussed.     

Constructs, operational definition, and operational analysis

We argue that a certain picture of the relationship between language and the world informed Meehl’s outlook on how science worked. That picture authorized talk about constructs and has led to construct proliferation and other problems. Operational analysis offers an alternative view and suggests that a major shortcoming of soft psychology is its lack of disciplined limits on acceptable verbal behavior.     

Development and Validation of the Navy Climate Index

Because military work environments have unique contexts, characteristics, and challenges, military policymakers need to understand how personnel perceive the work environment and how this affects individual and organizational outcomes. This study describes the development and testing of the Navy Climate Index (NCI), a new measure comprising items from the Navy-wide Personnel Survey (NPS) that captures eight aspects of psychological climate: advancement/promotion, autonomy/challenge, leadership, communication, fairness, job security, Tempo, and work group. Using NPS data for 3,610 active duty personnel, confirmatory factor analyses support the validity of the NCI. NCI scores were positively associated with job satisfaction, morale, organizational commitment, and retention intentions.     

Risk Factors for Misconduct in a Navy Sample

Understanding antisocial behavior and organizational misconduct is an important objective, because these maladaptive behaviors are disruptive and costly to organizations and to society as a whole. The objective of this study was to identify psychosocial risk factors for misconduct and antisocial behavior in a sample of Navy personnel. A group of sailors (n = 158) who had engaged in significant misconduct were compared with a demographically similar group of sailors (n = 288) who had not engaged in misconduct and who were in good standing with the Navy. The psychosocial variables that emerged as the most important risk factors for antisocial behavior were alcohol use (odds ratio [OR] = 2.42), high impulsivity (OR = 2.20), high trait hostility (OR = 1.79), and antisocial behavior of friends (OR = 1.65). The implications of these results for the military and for research on antisocial behavior are discussed.     

Microcomputer graphics in psychological research

This paper discusses a methodology for psychological instrumentation in which requirements common to a spectrum of experiments are defined and implemented in a microcomputer system. The microcomputer may either stand alone or be used as an intelligent front end to a larger computer. In either case, experiments are described in a high-level implementation language. The advantages of this approach include reduced hardware and maintenance costs, increased reliability, and smoother operation by research personnel. A tutorial example is given of the design and construction of one such system used to present visual stimuli, including text, graphics, and simple animation, on a movable array of video monitors. Displays are produced by a Z80 microcomputer in response to commands from a larger host computer, in this case a PDP Lab/8e. Illustrations are given of three studies in progress; comparisons are made with special-purpose equipment built earlier. The microcomputer system is preferable from both a cost and management point of view.     

Interrogating the ethics of operational psychology

Commissioned amidst allegations of collusion between American Psychological Association officials and Central Intelligence Agency and Department of Defense officials involved in the enhanced interrogation programme, the July 2015 Hoffman Report documented a decade of collusion between American Psychological Association and Department of Defense officials in unethical national security interrogations. However, interrogation support is but one of numerous areas where psychologists are directly aiding military and intelligence operations, an area known as operational psychology. The ethical issues posed by the larger field of operational psychology have received little public discussion apart from apologia by operational psychologists themselves. To stimulate public review of operational psychology, leaders of the movement to remove psychologists from national security interrogations convened, in September 2015, a group of experts to work towards a consensus set of principles to guide future discussion. Participants included psychologists, physicians, and social scientists; military and intelligence professionals; and attorneys, ethicists, and human rights advocates. The discussion also drew upon years of dialogue between participants and military health and intelligence professionals. The workshop produced “The Brookline Principles on the Ethical Practice of Operational Psychology,” with implications for the profession of psychology and for civil society.     

Personality Differences Among Navy Occupational Groups

Differences among six Navy occupational groups (Administrative, Technical, Mechanical, Electrical, Construction, and Cooks) were determined for 31 personality and value scales, including the Allport-Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values, the Survey of Interpersonal Values, and the FIRO-B Inventory. Age and Navy experience were controlled by dividing groups into “experienced” and “inexperienced” categories. Significant differences between groups were present for 29 of the 62 comparisons. Most of the variance in test scores among groups could be accounted for by dichotomizing the six occupational specialties into two broad categories, “white collar” (Administrative and Technical) and “blue collar” (other groups). The results suggested relationships between choice of occupational specialty and the value systems, needs, and motivations of individuals in the naval service.     

Evaluating Microcomputer Programs

Much interest is being expressed in schools across the nation about the use of microcomputers to improve the delivery of special and regular education services. With this interest has come the need to evaluate educational programs utilizing microcomputers so that decisions about program improvement and expansion can be made. This paper discusses the evaluation of special education programs that incorporate microcomputers as a major instructional tool.     

Social representations of smoking and attitudes towards smoking restrictions in the Norwigian Navy

The present study investigated the relationship bewteen social representations about smokers and smoking, and attitudes towards smoking restrictions. Data were collected by means of questionnaires among a sample of employees ( n =4224)in the Norwegian Navy. Based on the results from first- and second-order principal components analyses, three dimensions of social representations were identified. The dimensions were labeled "negative representations", "positive representations" and "social influence". The three dimensions clearly differentiated between daliy, occasional and non-smokers. Further, structural equation modeling of the relation between social representations and attitudes towards smoking restrictions, indicated that social representations function as intermediating factors of the effect from smoking states upon attitudes towards smoking restrictions.
The findings indicate the need to focus upon social psyshological processes taking place in the ineraction between groups of smokers and non-smokers, as understanding of such processes may be relevant in preventing the development of group conflict.     

Relation of Study Factors to Performance in Navy Technical Schools

This study was conducted to determine which study factors lead to success in Navy technical schools and to ascertain whether the effects of study factors vary from one school to another. Study factors refer to all clearly definable elements that may affect student learning and that may be influenced by training. A Study Factors Survey (SFS) was developed and administered to 1,762 students in seven Navy technical schools. Scores on high-failure tests (those failed by 10% or more of the students) were collected for the beginning, middle, and end of each course. Partial correlations between mean test scores and study factor scales were calculated, controlling for ability as measured by the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). Of 304 possible correlations, 87 were significant. Four study factors-Concentration, Competition, Memorization, and Motivation - had the greatest number of signif- icant correlations with achievement scores. Anxiety and Mastery Beliefs had the next largest number of significant correlations.     

Evaluating Microcomputer Courseware:

To assist special eductors in making purchase decision, this paper presents 13 questions that should be asked when considering the acquisition of educational courseware. The questions presented relate to educational goals, learning principles, factual accuracy, values, attractiveness, use of the computer's unique capabilities, cognitive and physical demands, user friendliness, documentation, technical support, licensure arrangements, and hardware compatibility.