An Analysis of the Navy Vocational Interest Inventory as a Predictor of Career Motivation.

As part of a program to evaluate noncognitive tests for use in identifying enlisted men most likely to remain in the Navy, the Navy Vocational Interest Inventory (NVII) was analyzed for its ability to predict career motivation. The NVII was administered experimentally to incoming students at seven "A" schools varying widely in curriculum. Scores were obtained on two different types of scales, empirically derived occupational scales and homogeneous (area) scales. A reenlistment criterion was later obtained for each man by searching enlisted Navy personnel records. Mean NVII occupational key and area scale scores were computed for reenlistees and nonreenlistees in each school. An intercorrelation matrix was computed for each school, and multiple-regression analyses were completed on occupational keys and area scales using retention as the criterion variable. The area scales were analyzed for their ability to differentiate men in different ratings. Analysis of the data indicated that both the occupational keys and the area scales aided in identifying "A" school students most likely to remain in the Navy. Although the differences were not substantial, the occupational keys were somewhat more effective than the area scales in predicting reenlistment. (Author)