Ch3 Personality

Personality

What is Personality? Personality mean a dynamic concept describing the growth and development of a person’s whole psychological system. Rather than looking at parts of the person, personality looks at some aggregate whole that is greater than the sum of the parts. The sum total of ways in which an individual reacts and interacts with others

Personality Determinants Heredity Environment Situation

Heredity: refers to those factors that were

determined at conception. Physical structure, facial attractiveness, gender, temperament, energy level etc. Environment: Among the factors that exert pressures on our personality formation are the culture in which we are raised, our early conditioning, the norms among our family, friends and social groups etc. Situation: A third, the situation, influences the effects of heredity and environment on personality. An individual’s generally stable and consistent, does change in different situations.

Personality Traits

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Type of Social Interaction

Extrovert (E)

Preference for Gathering Data

Sensing (S)

Introvert (I)

Intuitive (N) Feeling (F)

Preference for Decision Making

Thinking (T) Perceptive (P)

Style of Decision Making Prentice Hall, 2000

Judgmental (J) Chapter 3

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Extra ve rsi on

Ag re eable ness

Th e “Bi g Fi ve” Per so nal ity M odel Em oti onal St abili ty

Op enness to Exp erience Co nsci entious ne ss

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The dimension of extraversion captures one’s comfort level with relationships. Extroverts tend to maintain a large number of relationships. Introverts tend to be reserved and have fewer relationships. The dimension of agreeableness refers to a person’s propensity to defer to others. People high in this dimension value harmony more than having their own way. People low in this dimension focus on their own needs more than on the needs of others. The dimension of conscientiousness refers to the number of goals on which a person focuses. Those high in this dimension pursue fewer goals and tend to be responsible, persistent, and achievement-oriented. Those low in this dimension tend to be more easily distracted & less focused.

Emotional stability refers a person’s ability to withstand stress. People high on this dimension tend to be calm, enthusiastic, and secure. Those low in this dimension tend to be anxious, nervous, and insecure. Openness to experience refers to one’s range of interests. Those high in this dimension are fascinated by imaginative, creative, and intellectual activities. Those low in this dimension tend to be more conventional and prefer the familiar

P ersonali ty At tributes Attrib utes and Behavio r Locus of Control

Machiavellian Traits

Self-Esteem

Self-Monitoring

Risk Taking

Type A Personality

©Prentice Hall, 2001

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Six additional personality attributes to have more direct relevance for explaining and predicting behavior in organizations  Some people believe that they are masters of their own fate. Others think that they are pawns of fate. Locus of control in the first case is internal--they control their destiny. Externals believe that life is controlled by outsiders.  Authoritarianism is the belief that there should be power and status differences among people in organizations. Those who are high in this trait are rigid intellectually, judgmental of others, deferential to those in authority and exploitative of those below, distrustful, and resistant to change.  An individual exhibiting strong Machiavellian tendencies is manipulative, maintains emotional distance, and believes that the ends justify the means.

People who are high in self-monitoring are sensitive to external cues and can behave differently according to the demands of the situation. On the other hand, low self-monitors are consistent. Individuals with a high risk propensity make more rapid decisions with less information than individuals with a low risk propensity. Type A personalities are characterized by an incessant struggle to achieve more in less time. They are impatient, cope poorly with leisure time, and create a life of self-imposed deadlines.

Occu patio na l Pers ona lity Types

Prentice Hall, 2000

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Ho ll and’ s The ory of Pers ona li ty-Jo b Fit Type

Personality

Occupations

Realistic

Shy, Stabl e, Prac tical

Mechanic , Farmer, Ass em bly -Line Worker

Investigative

Analytical,

I ndependent

Bi ologis t, Economist, Mat hemat ic ian

Social

Soc iabl e, Cooperat iv e

Soc ial W ork er, Teacher, Counselor

Conventional

Prac tic al , Eff ic ient

Ac countant , Manager Bank Tel ler

Enterprising

Am biti ous , Energet ic

Law yer, Sales person

Artistic

Imaginat ive, Ideali stic

Paint er, Wri ter, Music ian

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