Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustments to his environment. - Gordon Allport.
The sum total of ways in which an individual reacts and interacts with others, the measurable traits a person exhibits
Learning Objectives
Define personality, describe how it is measured, and explain
work.
Identify other personality traits relevant to OB.
Measuring Personality
A Psychological test is a structured technique used to
generate carefully selected sample of behaviour. A personality test measures those relatively enduring aspects of an individual which distinguishes them from other people, making them unique. Helpful in hiring decisions Most common method: self-reporting surveys. Issues of lying , Impression Management and accuracy Observer-ratings surveys provide an independent assessment of personality often better predictors Projective Techniques
Personality Determinants
Heredity
Factors determined at conception: physical stature, facial
attractiveness, gender, temperament, muscle composition and reflexes, energy level, and bio-rhythms This Heredity Approach argues that genes are the source of personality Twin studies: raised apart but very similar personalities Parents dont add much to personality development There is some personality change over long time periods
Personality Traits
Enduring characteristics that describe an individuals behavior The more consistent the characteristic and the more frequently it occurs in diverse situations, the more important the trait.
All traits are not equally powerful. They can be
categorized into 3:
person
Cardinal traits-strong and influence every act of a Primary traits- generally consistent influence on
behaviours, the effects arent all that strong; traits explain a minority of the variance in attitudes and behaviours. Effects of traits are strongest in relatively weak situations and weakest in strong situations. Organizational settings tend to be strong situations as they have rules and formal regulations that define acceptable behaviour and punish deviant behaviour; they have informal norms that dictate appropriate behaviours. These formal and informal constraints minimize the effects of personality traits. Two dominant frameworks used to describe personality: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Big Five Model
Intuitive (N)
Judging (J)
Perceiving (P)
for instance:
Visionaries (INTJ) original, stubborn, and driven. Organizers (ESTJ) realistic, logical, analytical, and
Agreeableness
Conscientiousness
Emotional Stability
Openness to Experience
HIGH
EXTRAVERSION: Extraverted, gregarious, active, assertive, highspirited. Prefer to be around people most of the time.
AGREEABLENESS: Compassionate, good-natured & eager to cooperate and to avoid conflict. Are warm and trusting.
AVERAGE
Moderate in activity and enthusiasm. Enjoy the company of others but also value privacy.
Generally warm, trusting & agreeable, but can sometimes be stubborn and competitive.
LOW
Introverted, reserved, timid & serious. Prefer to be alone or with a few close friends.
Hard Headed, skeptical, proud, competitive, cold, disagreeable & antagonistic.
CONSCIENTIOUSNESS: well organized, dependable & persistent. Have high standards & always strive to achieve goals. EMOTIONAL STABILITY: tend to be calm, confident & secure
Dependable and moderately well-organized. Generally have clear goals but are able to set work aside. Generally calm & able to deal with stress, but sometimes experience feelings of guilt, anger or sadness Practical but willing to consider new ways of doing things. Seek a balance between the old and new.
Easy going, not very wellorganized; sometimes careless & unreliable. Prefer not to make plans. Nervous, anxious, depressed and insecure
OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE: creative, curious & artistically sensitive. Have broad interests & are very imaginative
job performance: Highly conscientious people develop more job knowledge, exert greater effort, and have better performance. Other Big Five Traits also have implications for work. Emotional stability is related to job satisfaction. Extroverts tend to be happier in their jobs and have good social skills. Open people are more creative and can be good leaders. Agreeable people are good in social settings.
EMOTIONAL STABILITY
EXTRAVERSION
Less negative thinking & few High job and life negative emotions satisfaction; low stress level
Better interpersonal skills; greater social dominance; more emotionally expressive Increased learning; more creative; more flexible & autonomous Better liked; more compliant & conforming Higher performance; enhanced leadership; higher job & life satisfaction Training performance, enhanced leadership; more adaptable to change Higher performance; lower levels of deviant behaviour
OPENNESS
AGREEABLENESS
CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
Greater effort & persistence; Higher performance; more drive & discipline; enhanced leadership; better organized & planning greater longevity
behavioural responses, and Temperament and ability source traits- underlying variables determining surface traits. 16 PF Questionnaire also reflects response tendencies to 3 response style indexes: impression management, acquiescence and infrequency. Combining 16factors results into global factors asExtraversion, Anxiety, Tough mindedness, Independence, and Self control.
that ends justify the means. High Machs are manipulative, win more often, and persuade more than they are persuaded. Flourish when: Have direct interaction Work with minimal rules and regulations Emotions distract others Narcissism An arrogant, entitled, self-important person who needs excessive admiration. Less effective in their jobs.
situational factors. High monitors conform more and are more likely to become leaders.
Risk Taking
The willingness to take chances. May be best to align propensities with job requirements.
Proactive Personality
Identifies opportunities, shows initiative, takes action, and
between people There are different types of jobs People in jobs congruent with their personality should be more satisfied and have lower turnover
organizational culture. People are attracted to organizations that match their values. Those who match are most likely to be selected. Mismatches will result in turnover. Can use the Big Five personality types to match to the organizational culture.