[Attitudes concerning military duty and personality structures. Clinical, psychometric and projective study of Jehovah wittnesses and conscientious objectors (author's transl)]

Acta Psychiatr Belg. 1979 May-Jun;79(3):254-73.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Refusal of military duty appearing to be a deviant social attitude, the authors have investigated the relationship between this behaviour and personality. They hypothesize that the rigid attitude of the Jehovah Wittness, refusing military duty and civil service, would be linked to paranoïd structure, and conscientious objectors to border-line states. A triple approach (clinical, Rorschach and aggressivity inventory of Buss and Durkee) was used; representative groups of these two populations were compared to control military recruits. Rorschach protocoles did not differentiate the Jehovah and control group, both being characterized by poor items and retraction. The authors interpret there data by possible absence of motivation in controls, or a rigid psychological organisation, which could be related habits in life and spirit of our societies. For the objectors, these are richer and more open. Five out of twelve appear to have a border-line organisation.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aggression
  • Attitude*
  • Christianity
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Motivation
  • Personality Inventory
  • Personality*
  • Psychology, Military*
  • Religion and Psychology
  • Rorschach Test