Technical Report - International Military Testing Association

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Anyone investigating this area further will find several references
helpful. A publication edited by Drs. Dubois and Hackett includer reports
by Dr. tlayo and Dr. Froelfsh referred to by Lt Longo. Dr. Harris’s book
contains an excellent presentation of soma of the complex statistfcal
problems and theory involved in this area of research. Dr. Thorndike’a
little monograph examines closely the concepts and methodological problems
and makes specific suggestions for sound research studies in thia
rather tricky area.
The lines of approach reported in Mr. Kraft's paper offer some seminal
points of departure. III fact,the greatest hope for a major increase in
percentage of job proficiency measured probably lies in obtaining more
reliable and precise measures of the aspects of personality related to
job proficiency--better ways of measuring the factors comprising the
“will do” of enlisted personnel as identified by psychological job
analyses and research. There is a good indication of the soundness of
this conclusion, On 3 August 1964 in a letter on “Revision of Army
Aptitude Area System”, Headquarters, US Continental Army Command,
stated as follows:
. . . Numerous school-conducted studies have shown that age,
previous education; previous civilian and Army experience \
of students frequently correlate hi&her with course performance
than do ACB test scores. It is recommended that
appropriate statistical precaution be taken by USABRO to
Insure that factors other than test results do not contaminate
the validation.
“Evidence presented at an April 1964 USCCMRC Basic
Electronics Conference, plus observations of numerous
key personnel throughout the USCONARC school system, indicate
clearly that subjective factors, such as attitude,
desire to study, perseverance and other non-intellectual
attributes of USCONARC school students have as much or more
influence on courses performance of these students than
“aptitude” as measured by classification test battery such
as currently employed or contemplated by USAPRO. To the
extent that inputs to USCOMRC school and training center
courses are governed by tools thst take into account only
those cheracterfstics readily measurable and ignore more
significant - though admittedly subjective - factors,
there will be less than optimum regulation of manpower
flow through the Army training system. USAPRO is urged
to consider the development of measures of attitude,
motivation and desire to learn as an integral part of its
program to revise the Army Aptitude Area System.”
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