Self-Assessments by U.S. Army Officers: Effects of Skill Level and Item Ambiguity on Accuracy
type: CreativeWork
description: Organizations benefit from the use of training and performance assessments. Self-assessment is a way for trainees to monitor their progress throughout training and on the job. The literature indicates that ambiguity and skill level are factors that impact the accuracy of self-assessments. Previously, the effect of the interaction of ambiguity and skill level on self-assessment accuracy had not been investigated. The present study assessed the effect of skill level and item ambiguity on the accuracy of self-assessments made by Lieutenants and Captains in the U. S. Army. The results indicated that increased skill level resulted in increased accuracy of self-assessments while ambiguity had no effect. Counter to the hypothesis, as items became more ambiguous, both Captains and Lieutenants self-assessed more accurately. Implications and limitations are discussed, along with recommendations for future research.
abstract: Organizations benefit from the use of training and performance assessments. Self-assessment is a way for trainees to monitor their progress throughout training and on the job. The literature indicates that ambiguity and skill level are factors that impact the accuracy of self-assessments. Previously, the effect of the interaction of ambiguity and skill level on self-assessment accuracy had not been investigated. The present study assessed the effect of skill level and item ambiguity on the accuracy of self-assessments made by Lieutenants and Captains in the U. S. Army. The results indicated that increased skill level resulted in increased accuracy of self-assessments while ambiguity had no effect. Counter to the hypothesis, as items became more ambiguous, both Captains and Lieutenants self-assessed more accurately. Implications and limitations are discussed, along with recommendations for future research.
author: Breidert, John T.
keywords: self-assessment, personality differences, army officers training, Industrial and Organizational Psychology
date published: 2009-04-01T07:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:07:03Z
provider: Western Kentucky University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Western Kentucky University