PERSONALITY

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 to and
interacts with others – Robbins
Personality is organization of Psychological Systems.
Personality is Dynamic, Learning can change it
Personality is unique i.e., 2 individual having 100% same
personality is far from reality
Personality causes adjustment with the environment
Determinants of Personality
Heredity
• It is determined by unique genetic material that a person
inherits from his parents. DNA contains unique combination of
proteins, Since no two persons can have same DNA, no 2
people can have same personality.
• Resemblance often comes from parents, brothers, sisters and
relatives
• Physical Features, gender, temperament, muscle composition,
and reflexes either completely or substantially influenced by
paents.
• *Researchers in many different countries have studied
thousands of sets of identical twins who were separated at birth
raised apart. Researchers identified that genetics accounts for
about 50% of the personality similarities between twins and
more than 30% of the similarities in occupational and leisure
interest.

One set of twins separated for 39 years and

raised 45 miles apart were found to drive the
same model and colour car, smoked same brand
of cigarette, owned dogs with the same name
and many more
 ENVIRONMENT
• It is determined by norms of family, religion,
culture, caste, creed, Locality
• Brothers born at same place, but brought up in
different cultures, have shown contrasting
differences in a personality.
• Environment is a collection of identically oriented
personalities, which tend to orient the personality
of a child in the same fashion as a result of
socialization.
 Situation
Situation is dynamic, so as personality

Situation Shapes personality , therefore we

are expected to behave differently in
different situation.
A single person depicts contrasting
behavior in different situations.
Situation Strength Theory proposes the way personality translates
in to behaviour depends on the strength of the situation. Situation
Strength is the degree to which norms, cues or standards dictate
Appropriate behaviour. Strong situation Pressure us to exhibit the
right behavior And weak situations allow us to be casual and free
For expressing thoughts.
Trait Activation Theory predicts that some situations events “activate”
a trait more than others.
JOHARI WINDOW
 Johari Window: The Pumper
Known To Self Unknown To Self

Known To Others Open/Public Blind Spot

Unknown To Others
Hidden/Facade Area Unknown

The pumper has a large hidden area, reflecting someone who keeps information with
him/herself. This is a person who is always asking for information and giving little in
return – the game player. If the pumper is in a management role, employees tend to
feel defensive with and resentful of this individual.
 Johari Window: The Blabbermouth
Known To Self Unknown To Self

Known To Others

Open/
Blind Spot
Public

Unknown To Others

Hidden/
Facade Unknown
Area

The blabbermouth has a large blind area, reflecting someone who talks a lot but does
not listen too well. This is the person who is pre-occupied with him/herself and doesn't
know when to keep quiet. If the blabbermouth is in a management role, employees
tend to get annoyed with this person and eventually will either actively or passively
learn to shut him/her up.
 Johari Window: The Hermit
Known To Self Unknown To Self

Open/
Known To Others Blind Spot
Public

Hidden/
Unknown To Others Facade Unknown
Area

The hermit has a large unknown area, reflecting a lack of self-knowledge and
understanding. This is a person you can’t figure out. The hermit’s behaviour tends to
be unpredictable and security-oriented. If in a management role, employees tend to
feel insecure and confused about expectations.
BIG FIVE MODEL OF PERSONALITY
 The Big Five Model of Personality
Dimensions
• Sociable, gregarious, and assertive
Extroversion
• Good-natured, cooperative, and
trusting
Agreeableness

• Responsible, dependable,
persistent, and organized
Conscientiousness
• Calm, self-confident, secure under
Emotional stress (positive), versus nervous,
depressed, and insecure under
Stability/Neuroti stress (negative)
cism
• Curious, imaginative, artistic,
Openness to and sensitive
Experience
 How Do the Big Five Traits Predict Behavior?:

•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.
Myers Briggs Type Indicator
The Myers-Briggs test was developed by a
mother/daughter team in the 40’s based on
the lifelong work of Carl Jung.
The test was intended to bring a everyday
applications of Jung’s work to the public in
order to provide personality matches for
social and work environments.
The test was a new interpretation of Jung’s
theory and added to it by including how
people deal with the outside world.
ASSUMPTIONS
Preferences are inborn.
Environment Changes expression of type.
We use both poles in different times but
not with equal confidence.
All of the types are equally valuable
 Preference Scale
Extroversion Introversion
Sensing Intuition
Thinking Feeling
Judgement Perception
Where do you prefer to focus your attention? Where
do you get energy? The E-I Dichotomy

Extroversion ------------- Introversion

 Attention focused  Attention focused inward:
outward: people, things, concepts, ideas, inner
action impressions, feelings
 Using trial and error  Considering deeply before
with confidence acting
 Relaxed and confident  Reserved and questioning
 Scanning the  Probing inwardly for

environment for stimulation

 Seeks quiet for
stimulation
 Seeks variety and action concentration
 Wants time to be alone
 Wants to be with others
 Live it, then understand  Understand it, before live

it it

Using the Myers-Brigge Type Indicator in Organizations , Sandra Hirsh, Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc., 1991
How do you prefer to take in information? The S-N Dichotomy

Sensing ---------------------- iNtuition

 Perceiving with the Five  Perceiving with memory and

Senses associations (Sixth Sense)
 Reliance on experience  Seeing patterns and

and actual data meanings

 Practicality  Innovation

 In touch with physical  Seeing possibilities

 Future Achievement
realities
 Attending to the present  Projecting possibilities for

moment the future

 Live life as it is  Change, rearrange life

 Prefers using learned skills  Prefers adding new skills

 Pays attention to details  Looks at “big picture”

 Makes few factual errors  Identifies complex patterns

Using the Myers-Brigge Type Indicator in Organizations , Sandra Hirsh, Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc., 1991
How do you make decisions?
The T-F Dichotomy

Thinking ----------------- Feeling

 Decisions based on the • Decisions based on impact

logic of the situation on people
 Uses cause and effect • Guided by personal
reasoning values
 Strive for an objective • Strive for harmony and
standard of truth positive interactions
 Can be “tough-minded” • May appear “tenderhearted”
 Fair – want everyone • Fair – want everyone
treated equally treated as an individual

Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, in Organizations Sandra Hirsh, Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc., 1991.
How do you deal with the outer world?
The J-P Dichotomy

Judging --------------- Perceiving

• Focuses on completing • Focuses on starting
task tasks
• Deciding and planning • Taking in information
• Organizing and • Adapting and
scheduling changing
• Controlling and • Curious and
regulating interested
• Goal oriented • Open-minded
• Wanting closure even • Resisting closure in
when data are order to obtain more
incomplete data
• Wants only the • Wants to find out
essentials of the job about the job

Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in Organizations , Sandra Hirsh, Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc., 1991.
There are 16 possible combinations of
letters and each combination defines the
individuals personality.