Assessment of the Relationship Between Aptitude Test Scores and Representation ofBlacks and Hispanics in U.S. Navy Occupations

摘要

This thesis examines the influence of aptitude test scores on black and Hispanicrepresentation in Navy enlisted occupations (or ratings) from 1982 through 1990. A procedure to control for the influence of aptitude test scores is introduced and explained along with a system for categorizing enlisted ratings by their relationship to the Navy's stated mission. Graphical depictions of black and Hispanic representation in Navy occupations are then shown by aptitude group and occupational category. This is followed by a brief examination of minority participation in the Navy's petty officers paygrades from 1982 through 1990. The results of the study reveal that the disproportionate representation of minorities in Navy ratings persists even when aptitude is controlled, suggesting the importance of factors unrelated to aptitude in determining representation. The thesis concludes with a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology used to measure the influence of aptitude scores on minority representation in Navy ratings. This study attempts to estimate the influence of aptitude test scores on the occupational placement of blacks and Hispanics in the U.S. Navy enlisted force. The study analyzes the distribution of black, white, and Hispanic enlisted men among the Navy occupational specialties (or ratings) for the years 1986 and 1990 and compares the results to findings from 1982, for which the data have been previously analyzed.