AN EXPERIMENTAL APPLICATION OF A TRAIT-BASED PERSONALITY MODEL TO THE SIMULATION OF MILITARY DECISION-MAKING

Abstract

Due to the uncertainties inherent in military operations and the variations in human personalities, military command and control behavior rarely conforms strictly to doctrine. (Of course, the degree of conformity to doctrine may vary.) In a military simulation with automated commanders, models of command behavior and decisionmaking that follow doctrine precisely and exhibit no variations are therefore unrealistic. Automated commanders that exhibit doctrinal behavior are essential for training, especially at the introductory levels, but are not sufficient for the full range of purposes the simulation may be applied to, such as advanced training and mission rehearsal. Simulation users may seek an automated commander that realistically models the effects of the fog of war and the difficulty of making doctrinal decisions under stressful conditions. Such realism in simulation could better prepare trainees for expected encounters on the battlefield.