Military Psychology:Overview

Dr. Steven J. Kass

Dr. (Major) Alan Ogle

Military 101

Rank / Grade

Community

People

Family Members

Service members Family Community

Military Psychology Defined

Military Psychology – The study and application of psychological principles and methods to the military environment.

Employment in Military Psychology

Colleges/Universities Veteran’s Affairs (VA) Military Hospitals Defense Contractors DOD Labs Military Academies Consulting

Military Psychology Objectives

Combat Readiness Selection & Training Treatment Human Performance

History of Military Psychology

1855 – US Gov’t Hospital for Insane (St. Elizabeths) to treat military psychiatric patients

1878 – Wilhelm Wundt starts experimental psychology lab in Liepzig Germany

– Notable American student – James Cattell 1890 – James Cattell coined term “mental test”

– Promoted standarization of procedures and use of norms in studying individual differences

1892 – American Psychological Associated founded– 19 charter divisions (Military Psychology – Div 19)

1907 – Shepard Ivory Franz (civilian research psychologist at St. Elizabeths) developed routine psych screening for patients

1911 – Heber Butts – Navy medical officer at St. Elizabeths, published first protocol for psych screening of Navy recruits

History of Military Psychology

WWI (1914-1918) - Robert Yerkes organized psychologists to test and classify recruits in war effort

– Army Alpha & Beta Projects (precursor to ASVAB)– Screened out individuals deemed mentally unfit– ASVAB given to over 1.5 million annually– Walter Dill Scott – proficiency testing for 83 military jobs– 1918 first Army billet for psychologist at Walter Reed

Hospital– Development of structured measures of psychopathology to

efficiently screen for mental abnormalities (led to psychiatry)

History of Military Psychology

World War II (1939 – 1945)– ¼ of all US psychologists engaged in military

psych– 1941 Psychological Bulletin devoted entire issue

to Military Psych (prior to attack on Pearl Harbor)– Human Factors Psychology (Engineering Psych)

Design of advanced weapon systems Placement of controls in aircraft Design of instrument displays, consoles, protective

gear, combat info centers, communications equipment

History of Military Psychology

1946 – VA Hospitals– Training programs to turn out clinical

psychologists to diagnose and treat veterans– APA approved pre-doctoral internships and post-

doctoral fellowships– Over 50% of WWII vets in hospital were there for

psychiatric reasons

History of Military Psychology

Post WWII changes influences on Psychology– US funded Big 10 studies on Leadership (Illinois, Michigan,

Ohio State)– Milgram’s research on obedience– Zimbardo’s prison study– Kurt Lewin’s action research (to identify and solve problems

of minorities)– 1958 - Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

(DARPA) – developed in response to Sputnik funded projects that led to such breakthoughs as:

– SIMNET – simulation networking– Virtual reality– ArpaNet - Internet

Domains of Military Psychology

Selection, Classification, & Assignment Human Factors Environmental Factors Leadership Individual and Group Behavior Clinical & Consultative/Organizational Psych Training & Education Manpower Management Decision Making Support

Military PsychologySpecialty Topics

Propaganda & Psychological Warfare Hostage Negotiation Women’s Role in the Military Prisoners of War (POWs)

Military PsychologyStudent Involvement

Join APA Division 19 (student discounts) Read “Military Psychology” journal Conduct and Present Research in Mil Psy “Handbook of Military Psychology” Attend Conferences/Symposia DOD Internships/Co-ops (DOD largest

employer of psychologists)