Military Psychology:
Overview
Dr. Steven J. Kass
Dr. (Major) Alan Ogle
Military 101
Rank / Grade
People
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Service members
Family
Community
Community
Family Members
Officers
Enlisted Members
Military Psychology Defined
Military Psychology – The study and
application of psychological principles and
methods to the military environment.
Employment in Military Psychology
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Colleges/Universities
Veteran’s Affairs (VA)
Military Hospitals
Defense Contractors
DOD Labs
Military Academies
Consulting
Military Psychology Objectives
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Combat Readiness
Selection & Training
Treatment
Human Performance
History of Military Psychology
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1855 – US Gov’t Hospital for Insane (St. Elizabeths) to treat
military psychiatric patients
1878 – Wilhelm Wundt starts experimental psychology lab in
Liepzig Germany
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1890 – James Cattell coined term “mental test”
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Promoted standarization of procedures and use of norms in
studying individual differences
1892 – American Psychological Associated founded
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Notable American student – James Cattell
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
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WWI (1914-1918) - Robert Yerkes organized
psychologists to test and classify recruits in war
effort
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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
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World War II (1939 – 1945)
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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)
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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
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1946 – VA Hospitals
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Training programs to turn out clinical
psychologists to diagnose and treat veterans
APA approved pre-doctoral internships and postdoctoral fellowships
Over 50% of WWII vets in hospital were there for
psychiatric reasons
History of Military Psychology
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Post WWII changes influences on Psychology
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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
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funded projects that led to such breakthoughs as:
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SIMNET – simulation networking
Virtual reality
ArpaNet - Internet
Domains of Military Psychology
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Selection, Classification, & Assignment
Human Factors
Environmental Factors
Leadership
Individual and Group Behavior
Clinical & Consultative/Organizational Psych
Training & Education
Manpower Management Decision Making Support
Military Psychology
Specialty Topics
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Propaganda & Psychological Warfare
Hostage Negotiation
Women’s Role in the Military
Prisoners of War (POWs)
Military Psychology
Student Involvement
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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)