nation, others to learn a skill, and still others because they have few better options.
Soldiers in battle have at least one powerful and obvious source of motivation.
However, the great majority of military tasks are performed neither on the
battlefield nor during wartime. In this sense, the Army is similar to a service-
oriented multinational company. Moreover, because the Army trains for battle and
yet fights so rarely, it is a continuing challenge to maintain combat skills.

Military life is also filled with education and training of varying contexts,
content, length, quality, and expense. Institution-based training includes the
basic combat skills that are taught after entry from the civilian sector and ad-
vanced technical skills that are trained later in a soldier's career. Throughout
one's career there are also a variety of skills that soldiers are expected to learn
informally, on the job. The environment in which the performance occurs also
varies from the sterile, high-tech surroundings of a research center to the mud
and darkness of changing a tank's track at night under fire. Occasionally, jobs
must be performed despite great physical and mental exhaustion and consider-
able stress.

Thus, the military, particularly the Army, have increased interest in identify-
ing factors underlying the motivation of their personnel. As a result of this
interest, the U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences
contracted with a number of basic and applied researchers in order to pull
together various ideas and trends in motivation research to assist in R&D pro-
gram planning. The results of this effort are documented in this volume. As a
secondary result, we hope to stimulate renewed interest in the motivation area by
both basic and applied researchers. This book is designed for professionals and
graduate students in the personality/ social, educational psychology, military psy-
chology, assessment/evaluation communities. It explores the state of the art in
motivational research for individuals and teams from multiple theoretical view-
points. Further, the effect of motivation in both educational and training environ-
ments is explored.

This volume could not have happened without the help and encouragement of
many people. Our thanks to our editor, Hollis Heimbouch of LEA, for her
support and guidance in the publication process. We thank Katharine Fry for her
assistance in preparing the manuscript.

Support for this work was provided in part by the Army Research Institute for the
Behavioral and Social Sciences. However, the views, opinions and findings
contained in this article are the authors' and should not be construed as an official
position, policy, or decision unless so designated by other, official documentation.

Harold F. O'Neil Jr.
Michael Drillings

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