Military service makes soldiers more unsocial

Psychology: Military service changes the personality of men

01/16/2015

Military service influences the personality development of soldiers. This was the result of a study from 2012, which has so far attracted little attention. Accordingly, the military drill in the long run makes anti-social and unfriendly. According to the study authors, soldiers who return with post-traumatic stress disorder from foreign assignments are particularly hard hit. Young men who had once been self-confident and committed would become frightened and sometimes even aggressive personalities. The study results were published in the renowned journal Journal „Psychological Science ".

Soldiers were unsocial after the end of military service
Joshua Jackson from Washington University in St. Louis studied with scientists from the University of Tübingen for six years, the personality development of young men who joined after graduation for a year of the Bundeswehr. At the same time they accompanied the development of community service providers.

„Soldiers are a bit less warm-hearted and friendly at the beginning, and military experience seems to reinforce this - after men's military service, men scored lower in terms of tolerability compared to those who did not join the military, "explains Jackson. „Interestingly, this influence seems to continue for a long time after the soldier has returned to work or to college. "At the same time, however, soldiers were emotionally more stable and more receptive to new experiences than civilian service providers at the beginning of their service According to the researchers, when they showed the soldiers to conscientious objectors, their willingness to compromise, their unwillingness to submit to social rules, their selfish behavior in interpersonal relationships, and the totality of the soldiers were more antisocial.

„On the other hand, people with lower levels of tolerance are often more willing to fight their way up the corporate ladder and sometimes make unpopular decisions that are necessary for business success“, so Jackson. The study shows that the personality can still be shaped by external influences such as military service. „These changes in personality seem to be small, but in the lives of those who have done military service, they can mean a big change“, so the scientist.

Promotional material for the military service proves positive life changes
„The entire military experience is sold as a possibility for a life-changing change, Jackson continued. „Military recruiting material from around the world supports the idea that military experience is a catalyst for change. Current advertising slogans in the United States, such as 'Be All You Can Be', 'Give Gas in Your Life' and 'High Out,' imply that military experiences affect life-paths.“ But: „It's one of the few situations in life where you're completely controlled by someone else, "explains Jackson. „Where someone works from the moment they wake up to sleep, erasing every spark of individuality in one. "

Last year, about 2,370 German soldiers completed foreign missions. A total of 1,602 suffered from their return to post-traumatic stress disorder. There were 179 more cases compared to the previous year. (Ag)