Technical b r Report - International Military Testing Association

Instructors noted that throughout the experiment the groups which
received max feedback showed a good deal of interest in other areas of
training and asked questions which concerned more than just the quiz.
One Important factor in this case seems to be that of human interaction;
the chance to speak with, or question, someone higher up in the chain
of corrmand. This interaction was seen to have an effect in terms of
hefghtened interest in many areas of military life. These companies
received the treatments twice over a two week period and the question
rrops up wether the difference in group one’s performance over that of
three and four was due to the educational aspects of feedback or the
psychological aspect of interaction with someone of higher rank on a
semi informal basis. Both factors probably affected the results but it
would be interesting to see wether the feedback WJS valuable because of
its information or because-of the human interaction.
A certain type of practice effect probably occurred also in that a
majority of these men indicate a fear or apprehension concerning test
taking. Allowing them to take two quizzes prior to the progress test
prcbably helped el iminate some of the anxiety normal ly surrounding
this test and present in group four.
Due to the nature of the environment subjects in this experiment
could not be assigned to treatment groups on a completely random basis.
There is a fluctuation *n recruit education level that occurs at various
times throughout the year,and it is possible that this fluctuation may
have had some effect dn resui ts. However companies were assigned a
treatment group in sequence as they entered training and this fact should
have ramdomized the effects of the seasonal fluctuations.
Whatever the reasons for the effects. of feedback in various situations,
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