Personality, Stress, and Performance for Army Recruiters

• Published in: Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 2000, Vol.44 (33), p.6-269-6-272
• Main Authors: Mullins, Linda L., Fatkin, Linda T.
• Format: Review
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1541-9312; 1071-1813; 2169-5067
• DOI: 10.1177/154193120004403352

Recent research conducted with Army Recruiters has classified recruiting as a high-risk occupation that includes consistently high levels of stress. Some recruiters seem to possess stress-resilient characteristics while others are more vulnerable to the effects of stress. The objective of the present study was to empirically identify recruiter characteristics that contribute to recruiter stress and performance. Participants for the study included 145 recruiters. The Zuckerman Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire III-Revised was used as a measure of personality. The Multiple Affect Adjective CheckList - Revised, Subjective Stress Scale, and Specific Rating of Events Scale were administered as state measures of stress. A performance percentage was calculated for each recruiter by dividing the number of individuals recruited by the number of recruits required to meet their mission. A cluster analysis was performed using the subscale measures of the ZKPQ resulting in a four-cluster solution: High Impulsivity-High Neuroticism, Low Impulsivity-High Neuroticism, Low Impulsivity-Low Neuroticism, and High Impulsivity-Low Neuroticism. Separate ANOVAs were computed between clusters for recruiter performance and stress measures. Generally the results from this research indicate individuals in the high Neuroticism groups perceive higher levels of stress. Differences in personality did not result in performance differences.