Unit – 6

PersonalityBook Code MB0038Smita Choudhary

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PERSONALITY

Do you have Do you have any one????any one????

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Contents

• Introduction• Personality determinants• Personality theories• Achieving personality job fit

Contents

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Introduction

• The term personality has been derived from the Latin word ‘persona’ which means to ‘speak through’.

• The common meaning of personality is the role played by an individual in public.

• Personality is defined as “the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustment to his environment”

---- Allport (1937)

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Learning Objectives

• After this unit, you will be able to understand– Personality determinants– Personality theories

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Personality Determinants• These are the factors that affect the personality development of an individual.Heredity • The attributes of personality like physique, eye color, hair color, height, temperament,

energy level, intelligence, reflexes, etc. depend on the parents of an individual.• The heredity approach suggests that an individual’s personality depends on the molecular

structure of the genes, present in the chromosomes.Environment • Environment includes culture, family, social and situational factors.• The environmental factors also affect the personality of an individual.• These factors determine an individual’s views about life , both positive and negative.

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Culture • Culture determines norms, attitudes and values that pass from generation to generation.• Every culture is different and expects and trains individuals to behave in a particular way that

is acceptable to the whole group.• People from different cultures have different attitudes.• But, an individual’s personality cannot always be judged on the basis of culture because

people from same culture may behave differently.

Family• An individual’s personality is largely dependent on his family.• Family greatly affects an individual’s behavior especially in the early stages of life.• The type of influence depends on social and economic status of the family, family size, race,

religion, parent’s education and geographic location.

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Situation • Factors related to situation also play a very important role in

determining the personality of an individual.• Every person has different experiences in his/her life.• Some of these experiences play an important role in

determining an individual’s personality. • For example – a deep shock or upset faced by an individual in

childhood may change his/her personality.

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Personality Theories

William Sheldon, 1940’s• William Sheldon (1940, 1942, cited in Phares, 1991) classified

personality according to body type. He called this a person’s somatotype.

• Sheldon identified three main somatotypes. They are1. Endomorph2. Mesomorph3. Ectomorph

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Somatotypes• In 1940s, Sheldon proposed a theory about how some body types are associated

with some personality characteristics.• William Sheldon (1898-1977) was an American Psychologist who observed the

variety of human bodies and temperaments. • According to him there are three somatotypes: endomorphy, mesomorphy, and

ectomorphy.

Endomorphy • Focus on the digestive system, particularly the stomach (endoderm). Has the

tendency towards plumpness (fatness), corresponds to Viscerotonia temperament tolerant, love of comfort and luxury, extravert.

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Mesomorphy• Focuses on musculature and circulatory system (mesoderm), has the

tendency towards muscularity, corresponds to the somatotonia temperament, courageous, energetic, active, dynamic, assertive, aggressive, risk later.

Ectomorphy• Ectomorphy focused on the nervous system and the brain (ectoderm) –

the tendency towards slightness, corresponds to Cerebrotonia temperament artistic, sensitive, apprehensive, introvert.

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a) Endomorphic Body Type:• Soft body • Underdeveloped muscles • Round shaped • Over-developed digestive system Associated personality traits: • Love of food • Tolerant • Evenness of emotions • Love of comfort • Sociable • Good humored • Relaxed • Need for affection

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b) Mesomorphic Body Type• Hard, muscular body • Overly mature appearance • Rectangular shaped • Thick skin • Upright posture Associated personality traits• Adventurous • Desire for power and dominance • Courageous • Indifference to what others think or want • Assertive, bold • Zest for physical activity • Competitive • Love of risk and chance

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c) Ectomorphic Body Type• Thin • Flat chest • Delicate build • Young appearance • Tall • Lightly muscled • Stoop-shouldered • Large brain Associated personality traits • Self-conscious • Preference for privacy • Introverted • Inhibited(Shy) • Socially anxious • Artistic • Mentally intense • Emotionally restrained(Reserved)

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Cattell’s 16 Personality Factor Model

• Cattell’s (1973) is one of the most important personality trait theory, where the number of traits have been reduced.

• Cattell called these 16 factors as primary factors.• Primary factors and descriptors in Cattell’s 16 Personality

Factor Model are

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Descriptors of Low Range Primary Factor Descriptors of High Range

Reserve, impersonal, distant, cool, detached, formal, aloof

Warmth Warm, outgoing, attentive to others, kindly, easy going, participating, like people

Concrete thinking, lower general mental capacity, less intelligent, unable to handle abstract problems

Reasoning Abstract thinking, more intelligent, bright, higher general mental capacity, fast learner

Reactive emotionally, changeable, affected by feelings, emotionally less stable, easily upset

Emotional Stability

Emotionally stable, adaptive, mature, faces reality, calm

Deferential, cooperative, avoids conflict, submissive, humble, obedient, easily led, docile, accommodating

Dominance Dominance, forceful, assertive, aggressive, competitive, stubborn, bossy

Serious, restrained, prudent, taciturn, introspective, silent

Liveliness Lively, animated, spontaneous, enthusiastic, happy go lucky, cheerful, expressive, impulsive

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Descriptors of Low Range Primary Factor Descriptors of High Range

Expedient, nonconforming, disregards, rules, self indulgent

Rule-Consciousness

Rule-conscious, dutiful, conscientious, conforming, moralistic, staid, rule bound

Shy, threat-sensitive, timid, hesitant, intimidated

Social Boldness Socially bold, venturesome, thick skinned, uninhibited

Utilitarian, objective, unsentimental, tough minded, self-reliant, no-nonsense, rough

Sensitivity Sensitive, aesthetic, sentimental, tender minded, intuitive, refined

Trusting, unsuspecting, accepting, unconditional, easy

Vigilance Vigilant, suspicious, skeptical, distrustful, oppositional

Grounded, practical, prosaic, solution orientated, steady, conventional

Abstractedness Abstract, imaginative, absent minded, impractical, absorbed in ideas

Forthright, genuine, artless, open, guileless, naïve, unpretentious, involved

Privateness Private, discreet, nondisclosing, shrewd, polished, wordly, astute, diplomatic

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Descriptors of Low Range Primary Factor Descriptors of High Range

Self-assured, unworried, complacent, secure, free of guilt, confident, self satisfied

Apprehension Apprehensive, self-doubting, worried, guilt prone, insecure, worrying, self blaming

Traditional, attached to familiar, conservative, respecting traditional ideas

Openness to change

Open to change, experimental, liberal, analytical, critical, free thinking, flexibility

Group-oriented, affiliative, a joiner and follower dependent

Self-reliance Self-reliant, solitary, resourceful, individualistic, self-sufficient

Tolerated disorder, unexacting, flexible, undisciplined, lax, self-conflict, impulsive, careless of social rues, uncontrolled

Perfectionism Perfectionistic, organized, compulsive, self-disciplined, socially precise, exacting will power, control, self-sentimental

Relaxed, placid, tranquil, torpid, patient, composed low drive

Tension Tense, high energy, impatient, driven, frustrated, over wrought, time driven

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The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

• Human beings are classified into four opposite pairs, on the basis of their psychological opposites.

• These four opposite pairs are– Extroverted or Introverted (E or I)– Sensing or Intuitive (S or N)– Thinking or Feeling (T or F)– Perceiving or Judging (P or J)

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• These classifications are combined into sixteen personality types– INTJs (introverted, intuitive, thinking, judging) are visionaries (Have

innovative minds and great ideas. Described as skeptical, critical, independent, determined, stubborn)

– ESTJs (extroverted, sensing, thinking, judging) are organizers. (They are realistic, logical, analytical, decisive. Like to organize and run activities.)

– ENTPs (extroverted, intuitive, thinking, perceiving) are conceptualizers. (They are innovative, individualistic, versatile, and have entrepreneurial ideas. Solve challenges but may neglect routine task.)

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Big Five Traits-Basis of an individual’s total personality and affect his performance at work.

• The The Big Five Big Five Personality Personality ModelModel

ExtraversionExtraversion

AgreeablenessAgreeableness

Conscientiousness Conscientiousness

Emotional Stability Emotional Stability

Openness to Experience Openness to Experience

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The Big Five Model• Researchers (McCrae and Costa, 1990 and Digman, 1997) suggest that five

basic elements cause all other personality dimensions.• The five basic elements are1. Extraversion – It is an individuals comfort state with relationships.

Extraverts are gregarious, assertive and sociable. Introverts are reserved, timid and quiet.

2. Agreeableness – It is an individual’s tendency to defer to others. People with high agreeableness are cooperative, warm and trusting. People with low agreeableness are cold, disagreeable and aggressive.

3. Conscientiousness – It is a measure of a person’s reliability. A person with high conscientiousness is responsible, organized, dependable and persistent. People with low conscientiousness are unfocused, disorganized and unreliable.

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4. Emotional stability – It is person’s ability to bear stress. People with positive emotional stability are calm, self-confident and secure. People with negative emotional stability are nervous, anxious, depressed and insecure.

5. Openness to experience – It is a person’s range of interests. Highly open people are creative, curious and artistic. People who are not open are traditional and are comfortable with the familiar.

Research has proved that there is an important relationship between personality dimensions and job performance. (Barrick & Mount, 1991)

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Locus of Control

• It is a person’s view about the source of his/her fate.• According to Rotter (1975), internality and externality are two

ends of a range. • Internals believe that the result of an event is under their

own control. • Externals believe that the result of an event depends on

external circumstances.• The degree to which people believe they are masters of their own

fate.• For example, college students who have an internal locus of control believe that they

achieved their marks and grade by their own abilities and efforts whereas college students with an external locus of control believe that they achieved their marks due to good or bad luck.

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• Individuals with external locus of control – Are less satisfied with their jobs– Have higher absenteeism rates– Are more separated from the work setting– Are less involved in their jobs as compared to internals

• Individuals with internal locus of control– Believe that organizational results depend on their own

actions– Believe that health is under their control with proper habits– Are less sick and hence show low absenteeism– Perform better on their jobs– Make a decision after searching for information– Are motivated to achieve– Try harder to control their environment– Do well on complicated tasks– Want autonomy and independence– More suitable for jobs that require initiative and

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Machiavellianism • It is a person’s tendency to mislead or cheat others for personal benefit.• This concept is named after Renaissance diplomat and writer Niccolo

Machiavelli.• People with high Machiavellianism are pragmatic, maintain emotional

distance, and believe that bad or unfair method of doing a task is acceptable if results are good or positive.

• They are manipulators and win more.• They are suited for jobs that require bargaining skills.

Machiavellianism (Mach)

Degree to which an individual is practical in his approach, maintains emotional distance, and believes that ends can justify means. 27

Self-esteem (SE)• It is defined as the degree to which

people like or dislike themselves (Robbins, 2003).

• People with high self esteem take more risks in job selection and choose unusual jobs as compared to people with low self-esteem.

• People with low self esteem are more sensitive to external influence as compared to people with high self esteem.

• People with low self esteem like positive evaluation from others.

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Self-mentoring• It is an individual’s ability to adjust his/her behavior

according to external factors. • People with high self mentoring ability are very

adaptable.• They can behave differently in different situations.• Their personality in public and their private

personality are very different. • They pay attention to the behavior of others.• These type of managers receive more promotions.• People with low self monitoring ability display their

true nature and attitude in every situation.

Self-Monitoring

A personality trait that measures an individuals ability to adjust his or her behavior to the situational factors. 29

Type A and Type B Personality

Type A personality • People with Type A personality are impatient, very time conscious, insecure about their

status, highly competitive, aggressive and do not like to relax (Friedman & Rosenman 1974).• They walk and eat very fast, are impatient with the speed of events taking place, try to do

two or more things at a time.• They measure their success in terms of numbers.• They work under stress.• They are fast workers and give preference to quantity rather quality, can work for long hours

and are not creative.

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Type B Personality • People with Type B personality do not have desire to achieve

a number of things.• They do not show urgency of time.• They do not show their achievements unless the situation

requires them to do so.• They can relax without guilt.

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Achieving Personality-Job-Fit• According to Holland (1997), if an individual’s personality and the

work environment match, the individual will enjoy the work and grow in the career.

• If people who match organizational culture are hired, it will provide higher employee satisfaction and reduced turnover.

• Holland has proposed six themes of people and work environments:– Realistic– Investigative– Artistic– Social– Enterprising– Conventional

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Type Personality Characteristics Congruent Occupation

Realistic – Prefer physical activities that require skill, strength and coordination

Shy, genuine, persistent, stable, conforming, practical

Mechanic, drill press operator, assembly-line worker, farmer

Investigative – Prefer activities that involve thinking, organizing and understanding

Analytical, original, curious, independent

Biologist, economist, mathematician, news reporter

Social- Prefer activities that involve helping and developing others

Sociable, friendly, cooperative, understanding

Social workers, teacher, counselor, clinical psychologist

Conventional – Prefer rule-regulated, orderly and clear activities

Conforming, efficient, practical, unimaginative, inflexible

Accountant, corporate manager, bank teller, file clerk

Enterprising – Prefer verbal activities with opportunity to influence others

Self-confident, ambitious, energetic, domineering

Lawyer, real estate agent, public relations specialist, small business manager

Artistic – Prefer unclear and unsystematic activities

Imaginative, disorderly, idealistic, emotional, impractical

Painter, musician, writer, interior decorator

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