A MULTIPLE LINEAR REGRESSION ANALYSIS OF OFFICER CAREER ATTITUDES

摘要

A survey covering demographic, sociological, and attitudinal information was completed by a random sample of 5,000 junior Air Force officers. Their responses were evaluated in terms of their relationship to a criterion of expressed career in¬tention. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to measure the unique con¬tribution to prediction, of some of the survey items beyond that provided by certain "baseline" variables believed to predict career intent. A second analysis was completed on a subsample of officers grouped by source of commission and sub¬divided by length of commissioned service, regular or reserve status, nonrated or rated flying status, and science-engineering or nonscience and nonengineering groupings. Data illustrate that career intent can be more meaningfully evaluated in terms of membership variables than by gross source of commission grouping normally employed. Six survey items offered the greatest unique contribution to the prediction of the criterion:(1) family attitude toward an Air Force career;(2) factors influencing for and against a career;(3) effect of the offer of a regular commission;(4) challenge of the Air Force job versus a civilian job;(5) the im¬portance and possibility of achieving certain incentives and rewards as part of an Air Force career;and (6) the officers' feelings about frequent change of resi¬dence.