Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB): Predicting Military Criteria from General and Specific Abilities

reportActive / Technical Report | Accession Number: ADA229191 | Open PDF

Abstract:

This report describes the effectiveness of observed measures of general and specific for the prediction of training success. Scores on the Armed Service Vocational Aptitude Battery ASVAB were used to estimate the general ad specific components of abilities for recruits in 125 military occupations across the four U.S. Armed Services. The results of this study replicated and extended the results of earlier investigations using Principal Components analysis of observed ASVAB scores. These studies indicated that psychometric general ability g is usually the best predictor of training success as measured by final technical school grade and Skill Qualification Test scores for the sample of military occupations used in this study. However, measures for specific ability resulted in significant increments to validity for 118 of the 125 military occupations examined. For this sample of military jobs, some situational specificity was found thus, continued use of measures of specific abilities appears warranted. Keywords Intelligence tests, Prediction, Job training recruits, Mental ability, Aptitude tests, Personnel selection.

Author(s):
Welsh, John R., Jr. ; Watson, Thomas W. ; Ree, Malcolm J.
Author Organization(s):
OPERATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES CORP SAN ANTONIO TX
Descriptive Note:
Final rept. Jan 1989-Jul 1990
Pagination:
0045

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution:
Approved For Public Release

RECORD

Collection: TR
Identifying Numbers
Report Number(s):
AFHRL-TR-90-63
Contract/Grant Number(s):
F41689-87-D-0012
Task Number(s):
02
Project Number(s):
2922
Monitor Series:
TR-90-63, AFHRL
 Subject Terms
Joint Capability Areas:
JCA_2.4.4_Prediction; JCA_2_Battlespace Awareness; JCA_2.4.3_Interpretation; JCA_2.4.2_Evaluation; JCA_2.4_Analysis Prediction and Production; JCA_6.4.1_Secure Information Exchange; JCA_5_Command and Control; JCA_1_Force Support; JCA_6_Net Centric; JCA_5.3_Planning; JCA_6.4_Information Assurance; JCA_1.2_Force Preparation; JCA_1.2.1_Training; JCA_1.3_Human Capital Management; JCA_1.3.2_Personnel Management; JCA_3.2_Engagement; JCA_3_Force Application; JCA_3.2.1_Kinetic Means; JCA_1.2.3_Educating; JCA_2.2.1_Signals Collection; JCA_2.2_Collection
Communities of Interest:
Human Systems
Descriptor(s):
*MILITARY PERSONNEL, *PERSONNEL SELECTION, *RECRUITS, *APTITUDE TESTS, TEST AND EVALUATION, JOBS, SCHOOLS, SKILLS, JOB TRAINING, PREDICTIONS, TRAINING, PERFORMANCE TESTS, QUALIFICATIONS, MENTAL ABILITY, SCORING, INTELLIGENCE TESTS
Field(s)/Group(s):
Humanities and History, Psychology, Personnel Management and Labor Relations
Keyword(s):
*ASVAB(ARMED FORCES VOCATIONAL APTITUDE BATTERY), SKILL QUALIFICATION TEST, PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS ANALYSIS, TECHNICAL SCHOOL GRADES, GENERAL SPECIFIC ABILITIES, SITUATIONAL SPECIFICITY, PE63227F, WUAFHRL29220202
Report Date:
1990 Nov 01