PROJECT A: SPECIFICATION OF THE PREDICTOR DOMAIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF NEW SELECTION/ CLASSIFICATION TESTS

A major goal of the Army Selection and Classification Project was to develop an experimental predictor battery that would best supplement the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery for making selection and classification decisions for entry-level enlisted personnel. That is, what predictor measures would best serve the needs of all the jobs in an entire selection/classification system? This paper describes the characteristics of the new test battery and the procedures that were used to develop it. The major steps in the procedure were a structured literature search using a standard protocol, an extensive expert judgment study of expected true validities for a population of predictor variables against a population of performance components, fabrication of modularized software and a special response pedestal for computerized measurement of perceptual and psychomotor abilities, evaluations of experimental measures in three iterative pilot tests and one major field test, and a series of reviews by a panel of scientific advisers. The test battery that resulted from this 2 1/2-year development effort is described. The basic psychometric properties of each measure, as determined in a large concurrent validation sample, are also described.     

Values and Recovery From Alcoholism Through Alcoholics Anonymous

This report reviews the literature on the values of alcoholics and addicts in treatment and presents data that suggest a shift in values is involved in recovery from alcoholism through participation in Alcoholics Anonymous and that values clarification and value therapy may be useful in chemical dependency treatment.     

Through the Looking Glass: The Experiences of Two Family Therapy Trainees with Live Supervision

A thorough investigation of the literature pertaining to therapy supervision reveals that supervision has never been examined from the viewpoint of the trainee. This paper examines live supervision of family therapy from that viewpoint. It suggests that live supervision is a powerful and effective tool—a tool that engenders strong emotional responses.     

Misperceptions of Motivation of Economically Disadvantaged Employees in Work Settings

The present study was designed to assess the cross-cultural perceptions of appropriate and inappropriate behaviors for three sets of role relationships. Employers and economically-disadvantaged job trainees were asked to rate the appropriateness of various behaviors for superordinate/subordinate, subordinate/superordinate, and peer/peer relationships. Results suggest that job trainees perceived the role of a superordinate as being more punitive, more deceitful, and less friendly than the employers thought would be appropriate. The findings are discussed in light of the concept of “ecosystem distrust”.     

To Change,Be Yourself: An Illustration of Paradox in Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt therapy emphasizes contact with unwanted and disowned aspects of self. This article describes the use of a therapeutic exercise based on paradoxical intent within the framework of Gestalt therapy and uses one client's account of the experience to illustrate its effectiveness.     

Multisystem-Multimethod Family Assessment in Clinical Contexts

A framework for assessing multiple levels of the family system by using multiple methodologies is proposed in this paper. This approach for measuring family phenomena is referred to as Multisystem-Multimethod (MS-MM) family assessment. Ideas from systems theory, measurement theory, and clinical application are used to describe the measurement strategy. A clinical case example is offered illustrating one way in which a MS-MM procedure can be implemented with families. Several currently available assessment tools are utilized to assess the individual, marital, and family levels of the family system. This diversity of measurement techniques provides convergent and divergent information within and across system levels. An MS-MM procedure has the capacity to assess the wholistic qualities of systems as well as specific issues within the boundaries of particular family subsystems.     

Mood and realism of confidence judgements of one''s own answers to general knowledge questions

This study examines the effect of a depressed mood on the realism of subjects' confidence judgements of the correctness of answers to general knowledge questions. Research conducted on how mood influences cognitive processes gives reason to expect that a depressed mood might increase the realism of individuals' confidence ratings. Sixty subjects were divided into three conditions, two of which were given mood induction, one condition into an elated-happy mood and one condition into a depressed-sad mood. As evidenced by subjects' responses to mood scales only the depressed condition was affected by the mood induction. All subjects answered 93 general knowledge questions and rated their confidence in the correctness of the answer given. Subjects were instructed to think aloud when answering the last 31 questions. The conditions did not differ with respect to the proportion of questions answered correctly, mean level of confidence, nor with respect to three measures of the realism in subjects' confidence ratings (calibration, over/underconfidence and resolution). The results were the same when questions answered with and without think aloud instructions were analysed separately.