Investigation of the Relationship Between Perception Levels of Prime Beef Training and Readiness Task Confidence

This thesis examined the readiness training perception levels and task self confidence of CE Prime BEEF personnel, and investigated the relationships between these two constructs. A heuristic model was developed which hypothesized that since previous research has shown that perception of training affects self efficacy, and that self efficacy affects performance, it may be inferred that training perception ultimately affects task performance. Surveys were sent to the target population to gather demographic data, perceptions of Prime BEEF readiness training and task confidence in both self and unit. Despite an improvement in perceptions over the past 12 years, results showed somewhat mediocre perception levels of readiness training, although task confidence yielded significantly higher mean Likert scale scores. Correlational analysis indicated a statistically significant, moderate correlation between perception of readiness training and task self confidence, lending strength to the proposed model. Training adequacy and effectiveness were the aspects most strongly correlated with task self confidence, while training realism and hands- on had the weakest correlation with task self confidence out of all aspects of training quality. Few demographic variables showed statistically significant correlation with training perception or confidence. Time spent in readiness training and the percent of time performing tasks during peacetime duties which closely resemble wartime tasks had the strongest correlation to task confidence out of all demographic variables. Finally, analysis indicated that officers tend to have lower readiness training perception levels and task confidence than do enlisted personnel.Air Force Inst of Tech Wright-Patterson AFB OH is the author of 'Investigation of the Relationship Between Perception Levels of Prime Beef Training and Readiness Task Confidence', published 1997 under ISBN 9781423568780 and ISBN 1423568788.