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PERSONALITY
 PERSONALITY 2

Definition
• “The sum total of ways in which an individual reacts and interacts
with others.”

• “Personality is the dynamic organization within an individual of those

psychological systems that determine his unique adjustments to his
environment.”

• “Personality may be understood as the characteristic pattern of

behavior and modes of thinking that determines a persons
adjustments to the environment” childhood, teenage, plays very
important role in shaping our personalities.”
• “Person’s personality is the like all other people’s, like some other
people’s and like no other people’s.”
What are Personality Determinants? 3
 Heredity
Environment
 Situation

Personality Traits
Definition
“Enduring characteristics that describe an individual’s behaviour”

Popular characteristics includes shy, aggressive, submissive, lazy, ambitious,

loyal, timid, etc.

These characteristics when they are exhibited in large number of situations are
called ‘Personality Traits’

Some Points –
Earlier as many as 17,953 traits were identified. In the next research, they were
reduced to 171.
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Finally 16 traits called “Source or Primary traits have been
identified. They are
1. Reserved vs. Outgoing
2. Less Intelligent vs. More Intelligent
3. Affected by feeling vs. Emotionally stable
4. Submissive vs. Dominant
5. Serious vs. Happy go lucky
6. Expedient vs. Conscientious
7. Timid vs. Venturesome
8. Tough minded vs. Sensitive
9. Trusting vs. Suspicious
10. Practical vs. Imaginative
11. Forthright vs. Shrewd
12. Self assured vs. More Intelligent
13. Conservative vs. Experimenting
14. Group dependent vs. Self sufficient
15. Uncontrollable vs. Controllable
16. Relaxed vs. Tense
Matching Personalities and Jobs
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 MYERS–BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR
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It is a personality test that taps characteristics and classifies people

into of 16 personality types.

Based on the answers individuals give to the test, they are classified
as:
– Extrovert or Introvert (E or I)
– Sensing or Intuitive (S or I)
– Thinking or Feeling (T or F)
– Perceiving or Judging (P or J)

These are then combined into 16 personality types. This test is very
common in USA. However this test lacks any validation.

IMPORTANT: The 16 personality types for this test classification is

different from primary 16 personality traits described earlier.
 THE BIG 5 MODEL
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The Big 5 factors are –

– Extraversion
– Agreeableness
– Conscientiousness

– Emotional stability
– Openness to experiences
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We will take example of different categories of professionals like
salesman, police officer, skilled employee who is indulged in
giving training etc.
On similar such 5 categories studies showed that
conscientiousness is common requirement.
For other personality dimensions, predictability depended on both
performance criterion & occupational group.
Ex. Extraversion → Performance in managerial and sales positions.

The research suggest the high scorers on emotional stability

retain their jobs.
In summary, the study of Big-FIVE MODEL gives five
personality factors and shows how they can be related to job
performance.
 MAJOR TRAITS INFLUENCING OB 9

1.AUTHORITARIANISM
– This concept was developed by psychologist Adorno

– Describes the authoritarianism personality – mechanism

of formal authority
– Views obedience to authority as necessity

– Strongly oriented towards conformity to rules and

regulations
– Place high moral value on their beliefs.
 MAJOR TRAITS INFLUENCING OB
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2. LOCUS OF CONTROL
– Refers to the individual belief

(a) Events are either within one’s control (INTERNAL LOCUS)

(b) Determined by forces beyond one’s control (EXTERNAL
LOCUS)

EXTERNALS: Believes that events are determined by external forces

– High absenteeism rates
– Less satisfied with job

INTERNALS: Believes that events are within one’s control

– More control over their behaviour
– More active socially
 MAJOR TRAITS INFLUENCING OB
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3. MACHIAVELLIANISM

– Derived from the writings of Nicolo Machiavelli

– Individual’s propensity to manipulate people

– ADEPT at interpersonal games Playing, Power tactics and bargaining

skills.

4. INTROVERSION/EXTROVERSION

– Extroversion → are Sociable, Gregarious, Good Inter-personal relations.

– Introversion → are Shy, Quiet, and Retiring
 MAJOR TRAITS INFLUENCING OB
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5. ACHIEVEMENT ORIENTATION

– Hardworking, Continually strive to do things better.

– Tend to do better in sales, sports or in management

– Believes success or failure is due to their own actions.

6. SELF-ESTEEM

– There are two types:

(a) High Self-esteem

(b) Low Self-esteem

 MAJOR TRAITS INFLUENCING OB
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(a) High Self-esteem

– High esteems are more satisfied with their jobs. They have abilities to
understand challenging jobs.
(b) Low Self-esteem

– Low self-esteems are dependent on others to do their job.

– Tend to be concerned with pleasing others.

“People differ in the degree to which they like or dislike themselves. This

trait is called “SELF-ESTEEM”