Military Psychology:
Research
Dr. Steven J. Kass
Dr. (Major) Alan Ogle
Military Psychology
Research in History
Military Psychology Research Includes:
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Recruitment, selection, placement, training, retention
Prediction/enhancement of combat performance
Human factors in design of complex weapon systems
Specialized skills training
Coping skills in foreign lands, adverse conditions
Adjustment/stress
Data analysis for decision/policy making
Diversity
Military Psychology
Research in History
World War I:
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Intelligence testing, selection, & classification
World War II:
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Human factors studies
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RADAR, electronic communications, complex weapon systems
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Mackworth’s vigilance research on radar operators in RAF.
Navy Combat Information Centers (CIC) – man-machine
interface issues (e.g., sonar, radar)
APA Division 21 – Applied Experimental & Engineering
Psychologists (HF)
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Problems of human capabilities and limitations in use of complex
systems (e.g., high performance aircraft, submarines, C&C
centers)
– Research on protecting soldiers from environmental elements.
Military Psychology
Research in History
Post WWII
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RADAR-aided ATC (Ohio State Univ)
Land-based air defense/interception (Columbia Univ/MIT)
Shipboard Combat Info Center air defense (NRLChesapeake Bay)
Battlefield Surveillance (Univ of Michigan)
Field operations, tactics, equipment (Ft. Ord, Cal)
Hypothetical command center for nuclear war (System
Development Corporation)
Military Psychology
Research in History
Human Resources Research Office (HumRRO)
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Est 1951 to study US Army training methods
Still conducts I/O related work for Army and other
agencies
Located in Alexandria, VA
Military Research Centers & Labs
Army
US Army Human Research Engineering Directorate
(HRED)
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Est 1951, Aberdeen Proving Ground (MD)
HF research on interface design (e.g., field phone interface,
display symbology for weapon systems, pilot controls)
Basic psychological research on human sensory
input/handling of informatino
Field experiments measuring performance of soldiers
operating developmental hardware systems
Application of human engineering design guidance for
development and testing of materiel systems
For more info see: http://www.peostri.army.mil/ARL_HRED/
Military Research Centers & Labs
Army
Division of Neuropsychiatry at the Walter Reed Army
Institute of Research (WRAIR), Washington DC,
1951
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Stress Studies
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Neuroscience animal/human experiments on stress reactions
Sleep deprivation studies
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Stimulants/sleep aids
Stress associated with military lifestyle
For more info see: http://www.wramc.amedd.army.mil/research/Pages/default.aspx
Military Research Centers & Labs
Army
US Army Research Institute of Environmental
Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA
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Studies on soldier performance as impacted by
harsh environmental stressor, such as heat, cold,
altitude.
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Physical fitness
Biomechanics
biophysics of protective clothing
For more info see: http://www.usariem.army.mil/
Military Research Centers & Labs
Army
US Army Aeromedical Research Lab (USAARL), Ft
Rucker, AL
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In-flight & simulator assessment of helo pilots under
stressful flight conditions
Pilot fatigue
Performance with night vision goggles
Effects/benefits of pharmaceuticals (e.g., stimulants)
Effects of extreme conditions on pilot performance
E.g., shock, g-forces, vibration, noise, visual enhancement
systems.
For more info see: http://www.usaarl.army.mil/
Military Research Centers & Labs
Army
US Army Research Institute (ARI) for the
Behavioral and Social Sciences (many
offices around US)
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Personnel selection, classification, placement,
and retention
For more info see: http://www.hqda.army.mil/ari/
Military Research Centers & Labs
Army
US Army Medical Research Institute of
Chemical Defense (USAMRICD), Aberdeen,
MD
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Medical defense against chemical battlefield
threats
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Treatment
Prophylaxis
Antidotes
For more info see: http://chemdef.apgea.army.mil/
Military Research Centers & Labs
Navy
Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC)
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Aircraft Division (Lakehurst, Patuxent River)
Training Systems Division (Orlando)
Weapons Division (China Lake, Point Mugu)
Space & Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR)
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Formerly Navy Command, Control, & Ocean Surveillance Cetner (NOSC)
& Navy Research, Development, Test, & Evaluation Center (NRaD)
(Charleston, San Diego)
Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC)
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( Carderock, W. Bethesda, Crane, Dahlgren, Panama City, Indian Head,
Port Hueneme)
Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC)
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(Keyport, Newport)
See Links for more info: http://www.onr.navy.mil/sci_tech/3t/transition/orta/ntislabs.asp
http://enterprise.spawar.navy.mil/
Military Research Centers & Labs
Navy
Naval Health Research Center (NHRC), San Diego
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Fleet operational readiness thru RDT&E
Evaluation of biomedical & psychological aspects of Navy/Marine
personnel health & performance
Naval Aerospace Medical Research Lab (NAMRL), Pensacola
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Aviation performance and medicine
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Spatial disorientation, motion sickness, effects of meds
BRAC’d for 2011, moving to WPAFB
Naval Submarine Medical Research Lab (NSMRL), Groton
See links for more info: http://www.med.navy.mil/
http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/
Military Research Centers & Labs
Navy
Naval Operational Medicine Institute (NOMI)
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Naval Aerospace Medicine Institute (NAMI)
Naval Expeditionary Medicine Institute (NEMTI)
Naval Special Operations Medicine Institute (NSOMI)
Naval Survival Training Institute (NSTI)
Naval Undersea Medicine Institute (NUMI)
Surface Warfare Medicine Institute (SWMI)
For more info: http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/
Military Research Centers & Labs
Air Force
US Air Force Research Laboratory (realigned)
 “Super Lab” to conduct research on all
aspects of aviation
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Wright Lab (Wright-Patterson AFB, OH)
Armstrong Lab (Brooks AFB, TX)
Phillips Lab (Kirtland AFB, NM)
Rome Lab (Griffiss AFB, NY)
For more info see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Research_Laboratory
Military Research Funding
Program 6 – Research, Development, Testing &
Evaluation (RDT&E)
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6.1 Basic Research – basic mechanisms to explain
psychological/physiological systems
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6.2 Applied Research – meeting a problem that has been
identified
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mostly in-house research
6.3 Advanced Material Development – feasibility
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Application of research not important at this level
preliminary development of new technologies
6.4 Engineering Development – procurement
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final development/procurement of technology to solve new
problem or fix old problem
6.1 Funding
Navy: Office of Naval Research (ONR)
Air Force: US Air Force Office of Scientific Research
(AFOSR)
Army:
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Army Research Institute (ARI) for Social & Behavioral
Research (I/O, Personnel)
Army Materiel Command’s Human Research & Engineering
Directorate (human engineering)
US Army Medical Research & Materiel Command (medical
research)
Army Research Office (behavioral research)
Military Psychology Training
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Advanced degrees in Psych (MA, Ph.D.)
Experimental design & statistics
Practical experience
Generalist, team player
Ability to study multiple variables
Military Psychology
Research Opportunities
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Basic mechanisms research on animal models
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Laboratory experiments w/state of the art equipment
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Solving real problems
Social psychology
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Technology: Virtual reality, simulators, centrifuges
Innovations: tactile feedback, microdisplays, augmented cognition
Motivated participants
Field research
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Historical labs: primate lab, pigeon missile
Group dynamics, team training/cohesion, leadership, persuasion,
etc.
Collaborative work w/world renown researchers
Military Psychology
Publishing
Military Psychology research is published in:
 Technical Reports
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Conference Proceedings
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DTIC repository for gov’t reports
E.g., I/ITSEC, HFES, AsMA
Journals
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E.g.,Military Psychology; Human Factors; Aviation, Space,
& Environmental Medicine; J. of Aviation; J. of Applied
Psychology; Work & Stress; Ergonomics
Military Psychology
Research The Future
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Cuts in research funding due to war efforts in
Afghanistan & Iraq
Base Re-alignment And Closures – Joint
Service labs to increase efficiency
International research programs
Clinical research for increased number of
war vets (PTSD, Stress, Neuropsych)
Hi tech advances
Other Military Experiments
Link to Dr. Steve’s Research Page: http://www.uwf.edu/psychology/hf-lab/
YouTube Videos:
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Mind control experiment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUW-frxo2X4
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LSD experiments: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbvVLGskCQo
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Dolphin soldier pt1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3PKNgEznQw
pt2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Osts5XrpHM8&feature=related
pt3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7qhAUwmHVw&feature=related
pt4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InEPixEv9mY&feature=related