Organizational Psychology in the Military

Home > Military Sciences > Military Psychology > Organizational Psychology in the Military

The structures, policies, and procedures that shape military organizations and how they impact the behavior and well-being of military personnel.

Military culture: Understanding the unique culture, values, and norms of the military is important to comprehend the context of military organizations and the behavior of their members.
Military leadership: Examining leadership styles, theories, and practices in the military and how they impact individuals and groups.
Military training: Investigating the effectiveness and design of military training programs for different functions, such as basic training and leadership development.
Military teamwork: Analyzing the factors that shape team dynamics and effectiveness within military units, from small squads to large organizational structures.
Military selection and assessment: Evaluating the methods used to select and assess personnel for military roles, including aptitude and personality tests, and the various criteria for designation into different military specialties.
Military stress and coping: Examining the challenges military members face in stressful environments and how they cope with those challenges, including the potential for trauma and PTSD.
Military diversity: Understanding how demographic and identity differences within the military impact organizational psychology, including issues of gender, race, and sexuality.
Military decision-making: Analyzing the decision-making processes used in military contexts, including those related to planning, strategy, and the use of force.
Military ethics: Examining the ethical considerations surrounding military behavior, such as the rules of engagement, prisoner treatment, and obeying orders.
Military performance: Investigating the factors that influence performance and productivity within military organizations, such as motivation, teamwork, and communication.
Combat Operational Stress Control: Focuses on assessing and treating military personnel for combat, operational and deployment stressors.
Military Leadership: Concerned with the development of effective leadership in the military context.
Military Selection and Classification: Concerned with identifying and selecting individuals for military service.
Military Training and Development: Focuses on the development of effective training programs to enhance military performance.
Military Mental Health: Concerned with enhancing the well-being and mental health of military personnel.
Military Human Factors: Concerned with optimizing the design of systems, equipment, and technology to maximize human performance and minimize human error.
Organizational Development in the Military: Focused on enhancing teamwork, communication, and collaboration within military units.
Military Strategy and Planning: Concerned with developing effective military strategies and plans for successful outcomes.
Military Ethics: Concerned with promoting ethical behavior and moral decision-making among military personnel.
Interpersonal Dynamics in the Military: Concerned with understanding and managing the complex interpersonal dynamics within military units.
- "Military psychology is a specialization within psychology that applies psychological science to promote the readiness of military members, organizations, and operations."
- "Military psychologists provide support to the military in many ways, including through direct clinical care, consultation to military commanders, teaching others and supporting military training, and through research relevant to military operations and personnel."
- "Military psychology as a field has been growing since the early 20th century, evidence that the demands and needs for psychological clinical and operational application is continuing to grow steadily."
- "There are many stressors associated with military service, including exposure to high-risk training and combat."
- "Psychologists are critical support components that assist military leaders in designing appropriate training programs, providing oversight to those programs, and assisting military members as they navigate the challenges of military training and their new lifestyle."
- "Military psychology covers a wide range of fields throughout the military including operational, tactical, and occupational psychology."
- "Gender differences between military-trained personnel who seek mental health assistance have been extensively studied."
- "Specific examples include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) associated with combat, or guilt and family/partner difficulties accompanying extended or frequent deployments due to separation."
- "Clinical providers in military psychology are often focused on the treatment of stress, fatigue, and other personal readiness issues."
- "Previous wars such as the Korean War, Vietnam War, and WW2 provide great insight into the workings and practices of military psychology and how the practices have changed and assisted the military over the years."
- "Military psychology is a specialization within psychology that applies psychological science to promote the readiness of military members, organizations, and operations."
- "Military psychologists provide support to the military in many ways, including through direct clinical care, consultation to military commanders..."
- "Military psychologists [...] contribute through research relevant to military operations and personnel."
- "Psychologists [...] assist military members as they navigate the challenges of military training and their new lifestyle."
- "Gender differences between military-trained personnel who seek mental health assistance have been extensively studied."
- "Specific examples include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) associated with combat..."
- "Military psychology covers a wide range of fields throughout the military including operational, tactical, and occupational psychology."
- "Military psychologists provide support to the military in many ways..."
- "Clinical providers in military psychology are often focused on the treatment of stress, fatigue, and other personal readiness issues."
- "Previous wars such as the Korean War, Vietnam War, and WW2 provide great insight into the workings and practices of military psychology and how the practices have changed and assisted the military over the years."