Testing the intellect in the US Army during the First World War

Authors

  • Vasyl Osiodlo Doctor of Psychological Sciences, Professor, Honored Worker of Education of Ukraine, Head of the Humanitarian Institute of the National University of Defense named after Ivan Chernyakhovsky, Kyiv
  • Dmytro Zubovskyi junior researcher at the Scientific and Methodological Center for Personnel Policy of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kyiv

Keywords:

military psychology, intelligence tests, “Army Alpha”, “Group examination A”

Abstract

The paper presents a detailed analysis of the organization and conduct of program intelligence testing in the United States Army during the First World War. This program represents the most vivid example of the “symbiotic interaction” between the military and psychologists and has undeniable importance for the formation of the military branches of psychology as applied psychological science. Exactly in this period, the US military psychologists first satisfied the most important state order - mass professional psychological selection in the interests of the armed forces and laid the foundation for the use of psychological knowledge to solve military tasks. Performed analysis allows to estimate all scale formation and variation of methods and tasks that were used and handled within the program of intelligence testing, to assess the contribution of each individual researcher and a set of knowledge offered by him. In addition, the analysis provides the opportunity to learn the way of development, practical testing, and statistical verification (standardization), one of the most important psychodiagnostic methods in the history of psychology - scale “Army Alpha”. This technique has become the prototype of the modern intelligence tests, and many positions remained unsurpassed today.

References

Burlachuk L.F. Psihodiagnostika: Uchjebnik dlja vuzov / L.F. Burlachuk. – SPb.: Pitjer, 2006. – 351 s.: il. – (Sjerija“Uchjebnik novogo vjeka”).

Vjernadskij V.I. Trudy po obschjej istorii nauki / V.I. Vjernadskij. – 2-je izd. – M.: “Nauka”, 1988. – 335 s.

Driskell J.E. Psychology and the military: Research applications and trends / J.E. Driskell, O. Beckett //American Psychologist. – 1989. – Vol. 44. - №1 .– Р. 43.

Carson J. Army alpha, army brass, and the search for army intelligence / J. Carson // Isis. – 1993. – Р. 278–309.

Samelson F. World War I intelligence testing and the development of psychology / F. Samelson // Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences. – 1977. – Vol. 13, №3. – Р. 274–282.

Terman L.M. The use of intelligence tests in the army / L.M. Terman // Psychological bulletin. – 1918. – Vol. 15, № 6. – Р. 177–187.

Yoakum C.S. Army mental tests / C.S. Yoakum, R.M. Yerkes – New York: H. Holt, 1920. – Р. 303.

Yerkes R.M. Psychology in relation to the war / R.M. Yerkes // Psychological Review. – 1918. – №25. – Р. 85–115.

Yerkes R. M. Psychological Examining in the United States Army: Edited by Robert M. Yerkes / R.M. Yerkes // US Government Printing Office. – 1921. – Vol. 15. – Р. 890.

Kevles D.J. Testing the Army’s intelligence: Psychologists and the military in World War I / D.J. Kevles // The Journal of American History. – 1968. – Vol. 55. – № 3. – Р. 565–581.

Rogers A.L. Experimental tests of mathematical ability and their prognostic value / A.L. Rogers // Teachers college, Columbia university. – 1918. – № 89. – Р. 376.

Issue

Section

Статті

How to Cite

Osiodlo, Vasyl, and Dmytro Zubovskyi. “Testing the Intellect in the US Army During the First World War”. Psyhology & Society, no. 4, Mar. 2019, pp. 64-75, https://pis.wunu.edu.ua/index.php/enpis/article/view/938.