Suchergebnisse

This doctoral thesis aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties and the practical use of a newly developed self-report personality measure for the Armed Forces, the Norwegian Military Personality Inventory (NMPI). Three published studies contributed to this end. Study 1 explored associations between candidate personality traits and leadership competency ratings at an officer selection program. This study also validated the NMPI-80, the first NMPI version, by correlating it with the well-established NEO-PI-3. Results showed that extroversion (+) and openness (-) emerged as predictors of ratings. Strong correlations between the two personality measures supported the construct validity of the NMPI-80. Study 2 used the NMPI-80 to investigate personality traits among special forces personnel. The findings did not show any difference in mean scores across Army-affiliated operators (FSK), Navy-affiliated operators (MJK), and support personnel. The operators had lower mean extroversion and agreeableness scores, as well as higher emotional stability scores, than Study 1 participants. Study 3 investigated the psychometric properties of the NMPI-50, the finalized NMPI version, by analyzing responses from an age cohort undergoing the conscript selection. Factor analyses, graded response models, and tests of measurement invariance revealed adequate reliability and validity. Although the measure does not generate rich individual profiles, the NMPI may support rater-based selection methods. The NMPI may also be used in a statistical combination of predictors for large-scale conscript selection. However, future predictive validity studies should govern best practice. The thesis expands military psychology by providing empirical studies that are scarcely obtainable in published literature (Studies 1 and 2). Further, it presents comprehensive psychometric analyses (Study 3). The conclusion emphasizes the importance of a continued scientific approach to specifying and measuring human factors relevant for military activities. The NMPI holds sound psychometric properties, although challenges of using self-report are acknowledged.

Abstract
Following Kobasa's seminal description of hardiness in 1979, this psychological construct has attained an increased research focus in law enforcement. The present study adds to this research focus by sampling 156 Norwegian police student trainees to investigate whether trainees' hardiness levels were related to their performance in a high-stress baton exercise. The Dispositional Resilience Scale-15-R was used to measure hardiness and its three components: commitment, challenge, and control. Baton performance was independently evaluated by two examiners. The results of a regression analysis controlling for age and sex revealed that, among the three components, commitment significantly predicted baton performance. Considerable sex differences were observed in the performance scores, where men outperformed women. An interaction model treating sex as a moderator showed that the commitment prediction was aligned across men and women. In conclusion, police educators should increase their focus on hardiness—especially the commitment component—to facilitate the police student trainees' operational skill training.

This study is the first to report on Big Five personality traits of employees in the Norwegian military Special Operations Forces (NORSOF). Three research questions were formulated for this study, aiming to investigate (1) whether age, number of combat-deployments and rank (OR/OF) had an impact on the personalities of NORSOF employees, (2) possible personality differences between personnel organized in the underlying departments of the NORSOF, and (3) if there were personality differences between SOF-operators and conventional forces applicants. SOF-operators from the Norwegian Special Operations Commando (FSK) and the Norwegian Naval Special Operations Commando (MJK) constituted 40% of the total NORSOF sample (N = 190), whilst the term SOF-support categorized the larger proportion of non-operators. Results indicated that younger employees tended to be lower on emotional stability than older colleagues, and that those without any combat-deployments were somewhat higher on agreeableness and a bit lower on emotional stability relative to employees with such experience. Additionally, personnel with officer ranks (OF) were higher on extraversion compared to specialists (OR). Results did not show any significant intradepartmental differences in mean personality trait scores. Compared to male applicants for basic officer training in conventional forces (N = 662), SOF-operators (all males) were less extroverted, less agreeable, and slightly more emotionally stable. The authors conclude that the NORSOF attracts and recruits personnel with similarities in their Big Five personalities. Furthermore, we suggest that the personality profile that emerged for the "average" Norwegian SOF-operator is a functional one, especially when considering the desired future image of the Special Forces operative as a Warrior-Diplomat.

This study is the first to report on Big Five personality traits of employees in the Norwegian military Special Operations Forces (NORSOF). Three research questions were formulated for this study, aiming to investigate (1) whether age, number of combat-deployments and rank (OR/OF) had an impact on the personalities of NORSOF employees, (2) possible personality differences between personnel organized in the underlying departments of the NORSOF, and (3) if there were personality differences between SOF-operators and conventional forces applicants. SOF-operators from the Norwegian Special Operations Commando (FSK) and the Norwegian Naval Special Operations Commando (MJK) constituted 40% of the total NORSOF sample (N = 190), whilst the term SOF-support categorized the larger proportion of non-operators. Results indicated that younger employees tended to be lower on emotional stability than older colleagues, and that those without any combat-deployments were somewhat higher on agreeableness and a bit lower on emotional stability relative to employees with such experience. Additionally, personnel with officer ranks (OF) were higher on extraversion compared to specialists (OR). Results did not show any significant intradepartmental differences in mean personality trait scores. Compared to male applicants for basic officer training in conventional forces (N = 662), SOF-operators (all males) were less extroverted, less agreeable and slightly more emotionally stable. The authors conclude that the NORSOF attracts and recruits personnel with similarities in their Big Five personalities. Furthermore, we suggest that the personality profile that emerged for the "average" Norwegian SOF-operator is a functional one, especially when considering the desired future image of the Special Forces operative as a Warrior-Diplomat.

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Nordmo, M., Skoglund, T.H., Lang-ree, O.C., Austad, S.K. & Martinussen, M. (2021). The psychometric properties and norm data of the Norwegian military personality inventory (NMPI). Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 62 (4), 596-607, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/sjop.12719 . This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions . This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley's version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited. ; The five-factor structure is a well-established model for personality. The five traits covary with job-performance and work-relevant outcomes. The practical administration of existing big-five measurement scales is, however, somewhat limited, in a Norwegian setting, as existing scales are impractically large or have unknown psychometric properties. Because of this, a new brief Norwegian personality assessment tool has been developed by the Norwegian Armed Forces. This study aims to uncover the psychometric properties of the 50-item Norwegian military personality inventory (NMPI-50) and establish norm data for practical use. The inventory was administered to the 2002 cohort of Norwegian 17-year olds ( N = 54,355), and analyzed with factor analysis, graded response models and tests of gender invariance. The five scales of the NMPI-50 showed satisfactory internal consistency, yielded high information across a broad range of the five traits, and conformed to a bi-factor structure with one general factor and five specific factors. The general factor was positively associated with motivation for military service, indicating some measurement bias. The openness scale is less clearly psychometrically defined, compared to the other scales, and both extroversion and openness show some evidence of multidimensionality. The scales also showed scalar invariance between genders except for the openness scale. Overall, the results support the use of NMPI-50 in personnel assessment and research.

While studies of the relationship between applicant personality and selection assessment ratings are widespread within personnel psychology, studies on military samples are scarcer. The current study aimed to investigate the associations between the Five-Factor Model of personality and ratings in (1) a military selection interview and (2) a field selection exercise simulating a war-like scenario. Research participants were candidates attending a selection program for military officer schools in the Norwegian Armed Forces (N = 901). The study used the NEO-PI-3 for measuring personality, and a shorter military personality measure (NMPI) was added for purposes of convergent test validation. Military selection officers rated candidates based on mission command leadership competencies. After controlling for sex, age, and general mental ability, results demonstrated small predictive effects of extraversion (+) and openness (–) toward mean competency ratings in both the interview and the field selection exercise. Furthermore, the selection officers used somewhat global evaluations of candidates in their ratings due to high correlations between competencies. Based on the findings, we suggest that personality testing may be useful in the selection process and contribute to a more nuanced rating of competencies.