Military Psychology Gerhard Ohrband – ULIM University, Moldova 1 st lecture Introduction: Historical overview, main applications

Course structure 1. Introduction: Historical Overview, main applications 2. Environmental Stressors 3. Leadership 4. Team Effectiveness 5. Individual and Group Behaviour 6. Clinical Psychology 7. Selection and Classification 8. Training 9. Human Factor Engineering 10. Psychotherapy and Counseling 11. Terrorism 12. Trauma Therapy 13. Psychological Warfare 14. Ethical Issues for a Psychologist in the Armed Forces 15. Review: Preparation for the Exams

Literature Gal, R., Mangelsdorff, A.D., and Dolgin, D.L. (1992). Handbook of Military Psychology. Wiley.

Historical overview Before World War I: psychology emerges as a field of scientific study and application Alfred Binet (France): mental measurement Scientific management movement to enhance worker productivity

Historical overview During World War I: Problem: assimilating millions of civilians into the armed services brought the tools of psychologists to the military environment and created the discipline of military psychology in the U.S. Application: mental testing of recruits with the Army Alpha and Beta examinations → appropriate placement of new soldiers into military jobs and officer training

Historical overview Other issues: measurement of troop morale measurement of assimilation into the military development of special trade tests to assess skills, such as combat leadership and flying aptitude assessment of emotional instability measurement of human performance

Historical overview during the 1920s and 1930s: hiatus in the study and practice of military psychology start of World War II: more than military psychologists in the U.S.

Newer issues military leadership effects of environmental factors on human performance military intelligence psychological operations and warfare selection for special duties influences of personal background, attitude, and the work group on soldier motivation and morale

Major areas of work and study According to the Handbook of Military Psychology (Gal & Mangelsdorff, 1991) selection and classification training human factors engineering environmental stressors leadership and team effectiveness individual and group behaviour clinical psychology survey research special subjects and situations

Selection and classification screening and selection of entry-level enlisted and officer personnel appropriate classification and career placement of personnel selection for special-skilled jobs such as pilots, air traffic controllers, Marine embassy guards, and special operations personnel current research emphasis on expanding the measurement domain to include 1. more comprehensive assessment of ability and skills using microcomputers and simulators 2. evaluating the potential of new noncognitive contructs such as social intelligence and the contribution of motivation and values

Selection and classification Related areas of research: development and application of occupational analysis techniques to create military job structures creation of procedures for conducting evaluations of enlisted and officer performance

Training development of the most effective and efficient means to train military enlisted and officer personnel and to increase operational readiness Major application for research: basic skills (e.g., reading, mathematics) military skills (e.g., infantry, seamanship) technical skills (e.g., electronics, foreign languages) special areas (e.g., flight training, underwater demolition)

Training as military systems become more technologically complex → increasing focus on techniques for team training and training special skills research emphasis: 1. developing models of cognitive and information processing 2. understanding the nature of training task requirements and the design of instructional systems 3. measurement of training performance through criterion-referenced procedures 4. wide-scale use of training devices, simulators, and computer-based training to enhance skill acquisition (emerging area: computer-simulated operational scenarios, including technologies such as virtual reality)

Human Factors Engineering design the human-machine interface → improve functioning of military systems and equipment early research: taxonomies of human performance and changing equipments design to enhance human performance

Human Factors Engineering Now: systems have become more complex → improving human performance by 1. reducing operator workload 2. reducing the impact of acute stress (as in battlefield conditions) 3. greater use of job aids: focus on enhancing human decision making through the use of artificial intelligence and expert systems

Environmental stressors military personnel often have to work under adverse operational conditions such as 1. sustained operations without sleep 2. environmental extremes (noise, heat, cold or high altitude) 3. vehicles that include high acceleration, vibration, stress, or motion sickness 4. hazardous atmospheric conditions (toxic fumes, radiological, biological, or chemical warfare) Goals: 1. maintenance of health and 2. enhancement of performance during stressful military missions

Environmental stressors Research: conducted on the interface of equipment, environments, and personnel through a combination of laboratory studies and field experiments in extreme environments

Leadership and team effectiveness Goals: efficient operation of military leadership and units in wartime and the requirements for maintaining the capability in peacetime Research on effective leaders 1. selection, training and evaluation 2. performance at face-to-face troop levels 3. executive-level policy making → study of the behaviour of world leaders

Leadership and team effectiveness Research on team processes 1. team structure 2. communication 3. subordinate-supervisor relations 4. team cohesion 5. functioning of small groups 6. tactical decision making Actual topic: assessment and improvement of communication among multinational forces

Individual and group behaviour study of the relationship of people to the variety of settings within this unique military environment from acculturation to military life and spanning an individual’s life course decisions special research topics: 1. organizational commitment 2. development of careers 3. quality of life and satisfaction 4. military families 5. morale and cohesion 6. epidemiology

Individual and group behaviour 7. maladjustive behaviours including substance abuse 8. attritions from military service because of unsuitability 9. willingness to remain in military service 10. stress of military life, including the serious psychological reactions in the aftermath of combat

Clinical Psychology providing mental health services and counseling to active duty personnel and their families within the unique military environment Tasks: 1. conduct psychological testing and applicant assessment for general fitness-for-duty and for highly sensitive job requiring security clearance 2. manage programs addressing specific issues such as substance abuse, family-related problems – including child abuse, stress reduction, promotion of health and wellness

Survey research collect data through applied research and studies analyze existing databases → support decision makers within the individual military services or within DoD (Department of Defense) Examples: evaluation of health problems of returning veterans of the 1991 Gulf War provide assistance to military manpower planners dealing with force reductions

Special subjects and situations returning prisoners-of-war hostage situations specialized military forces reserve readiness military intelligence personnel security psychological operations conduct of humanitarian missions

Work settings and employers educational facilities medical centers, hospitals, and clinics military schools and bases overseas deployments operational and policy offices

Synthesis Military Psychology Selection and Classification Environmental Stressors Training Human Factors Engineering Leadership and Team effectiveness Individual and Group Behaviour Clinical Psychology Survey Research Special subjects

Internet resources History of Military Psychology History of Military Psychology Institute for Defense & Government Advancement (IDGA) Institute for Defense & Government Advancement (IDGA) The Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society The Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society US Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences US Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences US Military Academy Behavioral Sciences and Leadership US Military Academy US Army Medical Research & Materiel Command US Army Medical Research & Materiel Command

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