AN OBJECTIVE GROUP QUESTIONNAIRE AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR A PERSONAL INTERVIEW IN THE PREDICTION OF SUCCESS IN MILITARY TRAINING IN ISRAEL

The need for reliable and valid measures of personality and motivational factors in the prediction of success in military training was discussed. The personnel classification system currently used by the Israeli Army was briefly described. The personality factors used in that system are measured by an interview, which is individually administered to each enlisted man. The goal of the present study was to replace this interview by an objective group questionnaire, with the hope of saving time, manpower and effort without any loss to predictive validity. The criterion for validation of the system was the performance of the soldiers in elementary training. This performance was assessed by commanding officers and by peers. The results showed that the questionnaire is eventually equivalent to the interview as a predictor of performance in military training. It was concluded that the questionnaire should be preferred for economical reasons.     

Coping With Physical Exertion and Negative Feedback Under Competitive and Self-Standard Conditions

The relationship between goal orientation, self-efficacy, perceived ability, effort, commitment, exertion, feedback tolerance, and process/outcome measures were investigated in 4 studies. In Study 1. feedback (win, lose, win/lose) in a competitive task (accuracy of dart throws) was manipulated. Results showed dart accuracy performance correlated significantly with ego orientation when feedback was positive (win opponent), but not when negative (lose) or alterable (lose/win). Self-efficacy and perceived ability after task familiarity predicted performance in all feedback conditions. In Study 2. a computer-simulated running task was performed by participants under 3 feedback modes (win. lose, win/lose) nested within 2 conditions (self-standard and against an opponent). Results indicated that ego more than task orientation accounted for the performance variance in all experimental conditions. Self-efficacy and task-specific psychological states accounted for 63% to 68% of the performance variance. In Studies 3 and 4. exertion time in strength and endurance tasks were related to the type of activity in which participants were engaged and their commitment and exertion tolerance in the specific tasks. Goal orientation and self-efficacy accounted for much of the exertion-time variables' variance, but they were not significant predictors.