Stress Evaluation for the TOW Accuracy Study

A TOW Accuracy Study was conducted in 1989 comparing TOW gunners' hit probabilities during mock battle conditions at the National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin, California, and during modified range conditions at Fort Hood, Texas. Since some observers have speculated that greater stress at NTC could adversely affect hit probabilities, an evaluation of stress experienced during the conditions created at the two sites was conducted. Psychological data obtained at the two sites were compared with each other and with similarly obtained referent data for protocols involving surgical stress, examination stress, competition stress, and control conditions. It was concluded that the two sites were about equally stressful and, based on comparison with the referent findings, that the stress experienced was of a moderate level. Because the test plan did not control for test site order, the possible effects on performance that were because of test site factors could not be assessed. Implications of confounding order with test site were discussed and recommendations were offered for appropriate experimental designs for determining the possible effects of stress on hit probabilities.