I__. - International Military Testing Association

Comuarison with “Honest” Sample
The applicant sample generally chose more desirable response options (i.e., response options that led
to higher scores) than the NROTC sample. For most of the PEC items, the difference between the mean
item-level scores for the two groups was quite small. However, for a few items the difference was large,
especially when the “correct” response was fairly obvious. These latter items are probably the most
susceptible to distortion, and this information was considered in deciding which items to drop.
Refining the PEC
The results of the factor analysis and the retranslation exercise were both taken into account in defining
the final set of PEC constructs. Where the retranslation and the factor analysis suggested a slightly
different set of constructs, rational considerations guided formation of the fmal constructs. For example,
although the Responsibility items were grouped with the Achievement LMotivation items in the factor
analysis, the literature review suggested that these two predictor constructs would be rela:ed to somewhat
different criterion constructs. Therefore, Achievement Motivation and Responsibility were kept separate,
Revisions were made to many of the PEC constructs based on the retranslation and the pilot test analyses,
resulting in a final set of seven “revised” biodata/temperament constructs. These revised constructs are
listed on the left side of Table 1,
Achievement Motivation
Dependability
Social Comfort
Dominance
Leadership Orientation
NROTC/Military Interest and Motivation
Organization and Planning
Unlikely Virtues
Miscellaneous
Table 1
Descriptive Statistics for the Final (Shortened) PEC Scales
# of Items Mean
.80
1.29
1.02
.87
51
.68
.58
2
.49
.43
.47
A4
.68
.56
.56
23 iii
Standard
Deviation Reliability1
NOIS. NC range from 962 to 964 for means and standard deviations; from 898 to 953 for the reliabilities. (Computation of coefficient alpha
required complete data.)
l Coefficient Alpha
2 Descriptive statistics an not presented for the fiial Unlikely Vhues scale because it contains new items.
3 The Miscellaneous category is not a scale, so descriptive statistics are not appropriate.
501
.82
.59
.73
.82
.78
.73
.80
n/a
n/a