Military Psychology in Switzerland

Abstract

Selection, assessment, motivation, stress, and leadership are the central research and application fields of military psychology. The Swiss Armed Forces have worked in these fields since the 1920s. However, military psychology has only been instituted in Switzerland officially since the mid-1990s. Psychologists and educators in the Psychological-Pedagogical Service of the Armed Forces give counseling and guidance to soldiers and cadre alike, while in the recruitment centers psychologically trained personnel maintain a high quality in psychological testing. Military psychological research is conducted mainly at the Swiss Military Academy at ETH Zurich (MILAK/ETHZ). The articles in this Special Issue are connected directly to the pertinent research in the fields of selection, training, and education of cadre in the Swiss Armed Forces.