Authoritarian Attitudes in the United States Army

The degree of authoritarianism in the United States Army is assessed through secondary analysis of data from a questionnaire administered in 1973/1974 to 1,564 enlisted men. The relationship of authoritarianism to army experience is curvilinear: attitudes become less authoritarian with increases in length of experience up to three years, & then become more authoritarian with increasing length of service. This pattern persists with education controlled for, & with a volunteers-only sample. Careerists are considerably more authoritarian than first-term soldiers. 2 Tables. W. H. Stoddard.