Personality

Personality Concepts

Part 1 - Introduction & Determinants

Part 2 - Personality Traits Models

Model1- MBTI
Model2- Big Five

Part 3 - Major Personality Attributes Influencing OB

 Part 1

Introduction & Determinants

 Definitions of Personality

Gordon Allport : Personality is the dynamic organization

within the individual of those psychophysical systems that
determine his unique adjustments to the environment.

Fred Luthans : Personality means how people affect others

and how they understand and view themselves as well as
their pattern of inner and outer measurable traits and the
person-situation interactions.
 What is Personality?
Personality
The sum total of ways in which an individual reacts and
interacts with others.

Personality Traits
Enduring personal Personality
PersonalityDeterminants
Determinants
characteristics that describe
an individual’s behavior • •Heredity
Heredity/ /inheritance
inheritance/ /Genetics
Genetics
which are exhibited in a • •Environment
Environment
large number of situations. • •Situation
Situation
 What determines the
Personality?

Heredity Environment Situation

 Personality: Some Terms
Personality: a person’s internally based characteristic way of acting
and thinking
Character: Personal characteristics that have been judged or
evaluated.
Temperament: Hereditary aspects of personality, including
sensitivity, moods, irritability, and distractibility
Personality Trait: Stable qualities that a person shows in most
situations
Personality Type: People who have several traits in common
 Theories of Personality

1. Trait Theories
2. Psychoanalytic Theory
3. Social-Cognitive Theories
4. Humanistic Theories
 Types of Personality Theories

Trait Theories: Attempt to learn what traits make up personality and how they
relate to actual behavior
Psychoanalytical Theories: Focus on the inner workings of personality,
especially internal conflicts and struggles
Humanistic Theories: Focus on private, subjective experience and personal
growth
Social-Cognitive Theories: Attribute difference in personality to socialization,
expectations, and mental processes
 Trait Theories
Jung’s Theory of Two Types
Carl Jung, Swiss psychiatrist who was a Freudian disciple, believed that we are
one of two personality types:

• Introvert: Shy, self-centered person whose attention is focused inward

• Extrovert: Bold, outgoing person whose attention is directed outward

Eysenck’s Three Factor Theory

Hans Eysenck, English psychologist, believed that there are three
fundamental factors in personality:
• Introversion versus Extroversion
• Emotionally Stable versus Unstable (neurotic)
• Impulse Control versus Psychotic
 Psychoanalytic Theory
Psychoanalytic theory, as devised by Freud, attempts to
explain personality on the basis of unconscious mental
forces

– Levels of consciousness: We are unaware of some aspects of

our mental states

– Freud argued that personality is made up of multiple

structures, some of which are unconscious

– Freud argued that as we have impulses that cause us anxiety;

our personality develops defense mechanisms to protect
against anxiety
 The Id, Ego, and Superego
Id: Innate biological instincts and urges; self-serving & irrational
• Totally unconscious
• Works on Pleasure Principle: Wishes to have its desires
(pleasurable) satisfied NOW, without waiting and regardless of the
consequences

Ego: Executive; directs id energies

• Partially conscious and partially unconscious
• Works on Reality Principle: Delays action until it is practical and/or
appropriate
The Id, Ego, and Superego, continued

Superego: Judge or censor for thoughts and actions of the ego

• Superego comes from our parents or caregivers; guilt comes from the
superego
• Two parts
- Conscience: Reflects actions for which a person has been
punished (e.g., what we shouldn’t do or be)
- Ego Ideal: Second part of the superego; reflects behavior one’s
parents approved of or rewarded (e.g., what we should do or be)
 Levels of Awareness
Conscious: Everything you are aware of at a given moment
Preconscious: Material that can easily be brought into
awareness
Unconscious: Holds repressed memories and emotions and
the id’s instinctual drives
 Freudian Theory
Levels of Structures of
consciousness Personality
– Conscious – Id
What we’re aware Operates according to
of the “pleasure
– Preconscious principle”
Memories etc. that – Ego
can be recalled Operates according to
– Unconscious the “reality”
Wishes, feelings, principle
impulses that lies – Superego
beyond awareness Contains values and
 Social-Cognitive Theories
Self-system: the set of cognitive processes by which a person observes, evaluates, and
regulates his/her behavior. Bandura proposed that what we think of as personality is a
product of this self-system.

Children observe behavior of models (such as parents) in their social environment.

Particularly if they are reinforced, children will imitate these behaviors, incorporating
them into personality.

Bandura also proposed that people observe their own behavior and judge its
effectiveness. Self-efficacy: a judgment of one’s effectiveness in dealing with
particular situations.

•Social-cognitive theories tend to be overly-mechanical.

• Overemphasizes environmental influences; gives little or no consideration to the
possibility of innate personality differences or the effects of genetics.
• Does not recognize internal human qualities such as hope, aspiration, love, self-
sacrifice
 Humanistic Theory
• Humanistic personality theories reject
psychoanalytic notions
– Humanistic theories view each person as
basically good and that people are striving for
self-fulfillment
– Humanistic theory argues that people carry a
perception of themselves and of the world
– The goal for a humanist is to develop/promote a
positive self-concept
 Humanistic Perspectives
 Carl Rogers
– We have needs for:
• Self-consistency (absence of conflict between self-
perceptions
• Congruence (consistency between self-perceptions
and experience)
– Inconsistency evokes anxiety and threat
– People with low self-esteem generally have poor
congruence between their self-concepts and life
experiences.
 Humanistic Perspectives

Abraham Maslow emphasized

the basic goodness of human
nature and a natural tendency
toward self-actualization.
 Situations

Situation 1 :-
Suppose that you are new to the organisation, and not familiar to
your colleague. You get a chance to interact with them in the
party.

What will you do in this situation?

a) You will take the initiative to talk

b) Feel strange and nervous so will not talk with others
c) You will wait for someone else to talk to you
d) you will stand and smile to others.
Situation 2 :-
If you go in a shopping mall, and you like one t-shirt, what
would be your action?

a) You will immediately buy it

b) You will take a trial before purchasing.
c) You will match the price with your budget and if it
matches than only you will purchase it.
d) You will look out for the discount shceme
Situation 3 :-
If you are going for an important meeting . On the way to
the office, you see an accident. How will you react in
this situation?

a) You will take the victim to the hospital

b)You will call the victim’s family member and inform
about the accident and will go away from there.
c) You will feel scared about it and will move away from
there.
d) Seeing such critical situation, you start crying.
e) You wont even notice the accident.
Situation 4 :-
Teacher makes an announcement in the class that today she is
going to take surprise presentation of the students for the
topic already been explained by her in the previous lecture.

a) you will readily accept and will present only if ma’m will
call you
b) you will take the initiative and start presenting
c) you will hide your face so that you are not being noticed
d) you will ask for some time to get information organized
and then will present.
e) you will get annoyed of not being informed earlier.
Situation 5 :-
If a girl is crossing the road, a group of boys start harassing her
by whistling or by passing comments or by making faces. If
you are that girl how will you react at that time?

a) you will go and slap that boy

b) you will complain to the police authority
c) you wouldn’t react and pass by
d) you will call your brother or friend or boyfriend to threaten
that group
Situation 6 :-
You have been given a group project. You have made a
mistake in between and only you are aware of it. How will
you react on it?

a) You will confess that you have made the mistake.

b) You will hold someone else responsible for the mistake
c) you will try to find out the solution for it.
d) you will keep mum all through out the project.
 Part 2

Personality Traits
Models

Model 1 - MBTI
Model 2 - Big Five
 Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Extrovert (E)
Type of Social
Interaction Introvert (I)

Preference for Sensing (S)

Gathering Data Intuitive (N)

Feeling (F)
Preference for
Decision Making Thinking (T)

Perceptive (P)
Style of
Decision Making Judgmental (J)
Extraversion Introversion
Interest Orientation

E Talkative, Shy, I
Sociable, Reserved,
Friendly, Quite,
Outspoken
Filmy Examples
Sensing iNtuition
Perception

S Organised, Less Regular, N

Practical, Unconscious,
Focus Detail. Focus Big Picture
Filmy Examples
Thinking Feeling
Judgment

T Reliability of
logical order –
Priorities
based on
F
cause and personal
effect, importance
and values,
Apathy
Sympathy
Filmy Examples
Judgment Perception
Environment Orientation

J Judging
attitude –
Spontaneity –
Curious,
P
Control of awaiting
events and events and
systematic adapting to
planning them,
Flexible
Filmy Examples
MBTI Explanation
 ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ
“Take Your Time “On My Honor, “Catalyst for “Competence +
and Do It Right” to Do My Positive Change” Independence =
Duty…” Perfection”

ISTP ISFP INFP INTP

“Doing the Best I “It’s the Thought “Still Waters Run “Ingenious
Can With What That Counts” Deep” Problem Solvers”
I’ve Got”

ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP

“Let’s Get Busy!” “Don’t Worry, Be “Anything’s “Life’s
Happy” Possible” Entrepreneurs”

ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ

“Taking Care of “What Can I Do “The Public “Everything’s
Business” For You?” Relations Fine – I’m in
Specialist” Charge”
Sixteen
Primary
Traits
 Big Five Model

3
1

2
Conscientiousness

Extroversion
Agreeableness

5
4

Emotional
stability Openness to
Experiance
 Extraversion

Agreeableness

The Big Five

Personality Conscientiousness
Model
Emotional Stability

Openness to Experience
The Big Five Model
The Big Five Personality Dimensions

 Extraversion: Outgoing, talkative, sociable, assertive

 Agreeableness: Trusting, good natured, cooperative, soft hearted

 Conscientiousness: Dependable, responsible, achievement oriented,

persistent

 Emotional stability: Relaxed, secure, unworried

 Openness to experience: Intellectual, imaginative, curious, broad

minded

Research finding: Conscientiousness is the best (but not a strong) predictor

of job performance
 Part 3

Major Personality Attributes

Influencing OB
 Locus Self-Esteem
of Control

Other Key
Machiavellian Self
Personality Personality Monitoring
Attributes

Risk Type A
Propensity Personality
LOCUS OF CONTROL

As per 11th Edition

Locus of Control
COMPARISION BETWEEN INTERNALS & EXTERNALS

INTERNALS EXTERNALS
• Better job • More compliant
performance
• Follow direction
• Attempt to control
their environment • Structured jobs

• Good decision maker • Routine jobs

• Sophisticated task
• Professional jobs
• Managerial jobs
As per 11th Edition
 How to measure one’s LoC?
Scoring and Interpretation for the I, P, and C Scales

There are three separate scales use to measure one’s locus of control: Internal
Scale, Powerful Others Scale, and Chance Scale. There are eight items on each
of the three scales, which are presented to the subject as one unified attitude scale
of 24 items. The specific content areas mentioned in the items are counterbalanced
so as to appear equally often for all three dimensions.

To score each scale add up the points of the circled answers for the items
appropriate for that scale. (The three scales are identified by the letters “I,” “P,”
and “C”). Add to the sum +24. The possible range on each scale is from 0 to 48.
Each subject receives three scores indicative of his or her locus of control on the
three dimensions of I, P, and C. Empirically, a person could score high or low on
all three dimensions.
 Key Point
GIVE YOUR OPINION ON EVERY STATEMENT

If you find that the numbers to be used in answering do not adequately reflect
your own opinion, use the one that is closest to the way you feel.

Read each statement carefully. Then indicate the extent to which you agree or
disagree using the following responses:

If you agree strongly, respond +3

If you agree somewhat, respond +2
If you agree slightly, respond +1

If you disagree slightly, respond –1

If you disagree somewhat, respond –2
If you disagree strongly, respond –3

First impressions are usually best. Read each statement, decide if you agree or disagree
and the strength of your opinion, and then respond accordingly.
Levenson Multidimensional LoC Inventory
1. (I) Whether or not I get to be a leader depends mostly on my
ability.
2. (C) To a great extent my life is controlled by accidental
happenings.
3. (P) I feel like what happens in my life is mostly determined
by powerful people.
4. (I) Whether or not I get into a car accident depends mostly
on how good a driver I am.
5. (I) When I make plans, I am almost certain to make them
work.
6. (C) Often there is no chance of protecting my personal
interests form bad luck happenings.
Levenson Multidimensional LoC Inventory
(cont’d)

7. (C) When I get what I want, it is usually because I’m lucky.

8. (P) Although I might have good ability, I will not be given leadership
responsibility without appealing to those positions of power.

9. (I) How many friends I have depends on how nice a person I am.

10. (C) I have often found that what is going to happen will happen.

11. (P) My life is chiefly controlled by powerful others.

12. (C) Whether or not I get into a car accident is mostly a matter of luck.

13. (P) People like myself have very little chance of protecting our personal
interests when they conflict with those of strong pressure groups.
Levenson Multidimensional LoC Inventory
(cont’d)

14. (C) It’s not always wise for me to plan too far ahead because many
things turn out to be a matter of good or bad fortune.

15. (P) Getting what I want requires pleasing those people above me.

16. (C) Whether or not I get to be a leader depends on whether I’m lucky
enough to be in the right place at the right time.

17. (P) If important people were to decide they didn’t like me, I probably
wouldn’t make many friends.

18. (I) I can pretty much determine what will happen in my life.
Levenson Multidimensional LoC Inventory
(cont’d)

19. (I) I am usually able to protect my personal interests.

20. (P) Whether or not I get into a car accident depends mostly on the other
driver.

21. (I) When I get what I want, it’s usually because I worked hard for it.

22. (P) In order to have my plans work, I make sure that they fit in with the
desires of people who have power over me.

23. (I) My life is determined by my own actions.

24. (C) It’s chiefly a matter of fate whether or not I have a few friends or
many friends.
Machiavellianism

Conditions
ConditionsFavoring
FavoringHigh
HighMachs
Machs
••Direct
Directinteraction
interaction
••Minimal
Minimalrules
rulesand
andregulations
regulations
••Emotions
Emotionsdistracting
distractingothers
others
 High Machs

• Manipulate more

• Win more

• Persuaded less

• Persuade others more

 Job suitability

For High Machs

• Job requiring bargaining skills (such as labor
negotiation)
• Or that offer substantial rewards for winning (as
commissioned sales)
Self-Esteem and Self-Monitoring
 Self Esteem

The degree to which a person likes or dislikes himself

It is directly related to expectations for success

Two types:-
1. High Self Esteem
2. Low self Esteem
 High Self Esteem

• They believe that they possess the ability they need to succeed
at work

• Will take more risks in job selection

• And more likely to choose unconventional jobs than people

with low self esteem

• They will not be susceptible to the external influences

• They are more satisfied with their job

 Low Self Esteem

• They seek appreciation from others

• Seek approval from others and try to conform to the beliefs

and behaviours of those they respect

• They try to please others and therefore they would not take
unpopular stands as compaerd to high SEs
 High self monitoring

• Capable of presenting striking contradictions between their

public persona & private self

• Tend to pay closer attention to behaviour of others & more

capable of conforming than low self monitoring

• Capable of putting different “faces” for different audiences

 Risk-Taking
• High Risk-taking Managers
– Make quicker decisions.
– Use less information to make decisions.
– Operate in smaller and more entrepreneurial organizations.
• Low Risk-taking Managers
– Are slower to make decisions.
– Require more information before making decisions.
– Exist in larger organizations with stable environments.
• Risk Propensity
– Aligning managers’ risk-taking propensity to job requirements
should be beneficial to organizations.
Personality Types
Achieving Personality-Job Fit

Personality
PersonalityTypes
Types
••Realistic
Realistic
••Investigative
Investigative
••Social
Social
••Conventional
Conventional
••Enterprising
Enterprising
••Artistic
Artistic
Personality Types and Sample Occupations

© 2005 Prentice-Hall 3-67

 MACH-IV Test
• To what extent do each of the following statements accurately describe
you? Please indicate the degree to which you personally agree or disagree
with each of the following statements by choosing a number from the scale
below that reflects your opinion.

• 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neutral, 4=agree, 5=strongly agree

1) Never tell anyone the real reason you did something unless it is useful to
do so.
2) The best way to handle people is to tell them what they want to hear.
3) One should take action only when sure it is morally right.
4) Most people are basically good and kind.
 MACH-IV Test (cont’d…)
5) It is safest to assume that all people have a vicious streak and it will come
out when they are given a chance.

6) Honesty is the best policy in all cases.

7) There is no excuse for lying to someone else.

8) Generally speaking, people won't work hard unless they're forced to do so.

9) All in all, it is better to be humble and honest than to be important and

dishonest.

10) When you ask someone to do something for you, it is best to give the real
reasons for wanting it rather than giving reasons which carry more weight.
 MACH-IV Test (cont’d…)
11) Most people who get ahead in the world lead clean, moral lives.

12) Anyone who completely trusts anyone else is asking for trouble.

13) The biggest difference between most criminals and other people is that the
criminals are stupid enough to get caught.

14) Most people are brave.

15) It is wise to flatter important people.

16) It is possible to be good in all respects.

17) P.T. Barnum was wrong when he said that there's a sucker born every minute.
 MACH-IV Test (cont’d…)
18) It is hard to get ahead without cutting corners here and there.

19) People suffering from incurable diseases should have the choice of being
put painlessly to death.

20) Most people forget more easily the death of their parents than the loss of
their property.