Personality

1. Organizational Behavior
Module 2: Personality
BBA SEM 2
Techno Main Salt Lake
-Prof. Sweta

2. Personality
• The sum total of ways in which an individual reacts to and interacts
with others.
• It refers to the persistent and enduring behavior patterns of an
individual that are expressed in a wide variety of situations. Your
personality is the combination of attributes, traits, and characteristics
that make you unique. Your walk, talk, appearance, speech, and
creativity all contribute to your personality. Personality can therefore
be regarded as the core of who you are.
• Personality traits – Enduring characteristics that describe an
individual’s behavior.

3. PERSONALITY DETERMINANTS
• An early debate centered on whether an individual’s personality is the result of
heredity or environment.
• Personality appears to be a result of both
• Heredity refers to factors determined at conception. Physical stature, facial
features, gender, temperament, muscle composition and reflexes, energy level,
and biological rhythms are either completely or substantially influenced by
parentage—by your biological parents’ genetic, physiological, and inherent
psychological makeup. The heredity approach argues that the ultimate
explanation of an individual’s personality is the molecular structure of the
genes, located on the chromosomes.
• This is not to suggest that personality never changes. For example, people’s
scores on dependability tend to increase over time, as when young adults start
families and establish careers.
• Personality is also more changeable in adolescence and more stable among
adults. However, strong individual differences in dependability remain;
everyone tends to change by about the same amount, so their rank order stays
roughly the same.

4. Personality Frameworks
1) Type theory
A type is simply a class of individuals said to share a common collection of
characteristics.” It means that people are classified into categories according to
the characteristics they share in common.
2) Trait theory
A trait refers to any characteristic that differs from person to person in a relatively
permanent and consistent way.
• Common traits are those which are reflected in the behavior of most of the
persons in a society or a community or culture.
• Personal traits refers to the unique characteristics of a person and not shared by
other members of the society or community or culture. Such a personal trait is
not comparable with those of others in that culture. These traits are inculcated
by a person more in the process of socialization and thus many of do’s and
don’ts of the parents or caregivers become part of the personality and these
traits are unique to this individual

5. Trait V/S Type
• Traits are durable characteristics of a person. Types are collections of traits that
are said to occur together in some individuals. For example, we might define
the macho type as a person who tries to be tough, independent, courageous, or
whatever the person perceives as masculine behavior. Trait on the other hand
makes a person behave in a certain way in almost all situations in a consistent
manner. Honesty as a trait is an example. While we can use traits to describe
persons, it is not easy to categorize a person in terms of a type. The type is not
as consistent as the traits not is it as enduring as a trait.
• The type is something a person can visualize from his mind. It is a construct and
it may not be possible to relate it to any stable thing in the real world. Also,
types tend to be a product of a particular place, time, and culture.
• Types do not represent durable personality patterns; they reflect changing
cultural patterns. Finally, when a type is identified, there is always the risk of
stereotyping or creating a caricature of a group of people. This may not
represent the real picture.

6. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
• The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is the most widely used personality
assessment instrument in the world. It is a 70-100 question personality test that
asks people how they usually feel or act in situations.
• Respondents are classified as extraverted or introverted (E or I), sensing or
intuitive (S or N), thinking or feeling (T or F), and judging or perceiving (J or P) or
perceiving (J or P):
• Extraverted (E) versus Introverted (I). Extraverted individuals are outgoing,
sociable, and assertive. Introverts are quiet and shy.
• Sensing (s) versus Intuitive (N). Sensing types are practical and prefer routine and
order, and they focus on details. Intuitives rely on unconscious processes and look
at the “big picture.”
• Thinking (T) versus Feeling (F). Thinking types use reason and logic to handle
problems. Feeling types rely on their personal values and emotions.
• Judging (J) versus Perceiving (P). Judging types want control and prefer order and
structure. Perceiving types are flexible and spontaneous.

7. Disadvantages of MBTI
• One problem with the MBTI is that the model forces a person into one
type or another; that is, you’re either introverted or extraverted. There
is no in-between.
• Another problem is with the reliability of the measure: When people
retake the assessment, they often receive different results. An
additional problem is in the difficulty of interpretation.
• There are levels of importance for each of the MBTI facets, and
separate meanings for certain combinations of facets, all of which
require trained interpretation that can leave room for error.
• Finally, results from the MBTI tend to be unrelated to job performance

9. 1) ISTJ (Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging)- The Duty Fulfiller:
Serious and quiet, interested in security and peaceful living. Extremely
thorough, responsible and dependable. Well-developed powers of
concentration. Usually interested in supporting and promoting traditions and
establishments. Well-organized and hard working. They work steadily towards
identified foals. They can usually accomplish any task once they have set their
mind to it.
2) ISTP (Introverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving) The Mechanic:
Quiet and reserved, interested in how and why things work. Excellent skills
with mechanical things. Risk takers who they live for the movement. Usually
interested in and talented at extreme sports. Uncomplicated in their desires.
Loyal to their peers and to their internal value systems, but not overly
concerned with respecting laws and rules if they get in the way of getting
something done. Detached and analytical, they excel at finding solutions to
practical problems.

10. 3) ISFJ (Introverted Sensing Feeling Judging) The Nurturer:
Quiet, kind, and conscientious. Can be depended on to follow through.
Usually puts the needs of others above their own needs. Stable and practical,
they value security and traditions. Well-developed sense of space and
function. Rich inner world of observations about people. Extremely perceptive
of other’s feelings. Interested in serving others.
4) ISFP (Introverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving) The Artist
Quiet, serious, sensitive and kind. Do not like conflict, and not likely to do
things which may generate conflict. Loyal and faithful. Extremely well-
developed senses, and aesthetic appreciation for beauty. Not interested in
leading or controlling others. Flexible and open-minded. Likely to be original
and creative. Enjoy the present moment.

11. 5) INFJ (Introverted Intuitive Feeling Judging) The Protector:
Quietly forceful, original, and sensitive. Tend to stick to things until they are
done. Extremely intuitive about people, and concerned for their feelings.
Well-developed value systems which they strictly adhere to. Well-respected
for their perseverance in doing the right thing. Likely to be individualistic,
rather than leading or following.
6) INFP (Introverted Intuitive Felling Perceiving) The Idealist:
Quiet, reflective, and idealistic. Interested in serving humanity. Well-
developed value system, which they strive to live in accordance with.
Extremely loyal. Adaptable and laid-back unless a strongly-held value is
threatened. Usually talented writers. Mentally quick, and able to see
possibilities. Interested in understanding and helping people.

12. 7) INTJ (Introverted Intuitive Thinking Judging) The Scientist:
Independent, original, analytical and determined. Have an exceptional ability
to turn theories into solid plans of action. Highly value knowledge,
competence, and structure. Driven to derive meaning from their visions.
Long-range thinkers/ have very high standards for their performance. And
the performance of others. Natural leads, but will follow if they trust existing
leaders.
8) INTP (Introverted Intuitive Thinking Perceiving) The Thinker:
Logical, original creative thinkers. Can become very excited about theories
and ideas. Exceptionally capable and driven to turn theories into clear
understandings. Highly value knowledge, competence and logic. Quiet and
reserved, hand to get to know well. Individualistic, having no interest in
leading or following others.

13. 9) ESTP (Extraverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving) The Doer:
Friendly, adaptable, action-oriented. Doers. Who are focused on immediate
results. Living in the here-and-now, they are risk takers who live fact paced
lifestyles. Impatient with long explanations// Extremely loyal to their peers,
but not usually respectful of laws and rules if they get in the way of getting
things done. Great people skills.
10) ESTJ (Extraverted Sensing Thinking Judging) The Guardian:
Practical, traditional, and organized. Likely to be athletic. Not interested in
theory or abstraction unless they see the practical application. Have clear
visions of the way things should be/ loyal and hard working. Like to be in
charge. Exceptionally capable in organizing and running activities. Good
citizens who value security and peaceful living.

14. 11) ESFP (Extraverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving) The Performer:
People oriented and fun loving, they make things more fun for others by their
enjoyment. Living for the moment, they love new experiences. They dislike
theory and impersonal analysis. Interested in serving others. Likely to be the
center of attention in social situations. Well developed common sense and
practical ability
12) ESFJ (Extraverted Sensing Feeling Judging=) The Caregiver
Warm hearted popular and conscientious. Tend to put the needs of others
other their own needs. Feel strong sense of responsibility and duty. Value
traditions and security. Interested in serving others. Need positive
reinforcement to feel good about themselves. Well developed sense of space
and function

15. 13) ENFP (Extraverted intuitive Feeling Perceiving) The Inspirer:
Enthusiastic, idealistic and creative. Able to do almost anything that
interests them. Great people skills. Need to live life in accordance with their
inner values. Excited by new ideas but bored with details. Open minded and
flexible with a broad range of interests and abilities.
14) ENFJ (Extraverted intuitive Feeling Judging) The Giver:
Popular and sensitive, with outstanding people skills. Extremely focused,
with real concern for how others think and feel. Usually dislike being alone.
They see everything from the human angle. And dislike impersonal analysis.
Very effective at managing people issues and leading group discussions.
Interested in serving others and probable place the needs of others over
their own needs.

17. The Big Five Personality Traits Model
• Big Five Model proposes that five basic dimensions underlie all others
and encompass most of the significant variation in human personality.
• Test scores of these traits do a very good job of predicting how people
behave in a variety of real life situations and remain relatively stable
for an individual over time, with some daily variations
• These big 5 trait dimensions are covered in details in next slides-

18. 1. Conscientiousness- It is a measure of reliability. A highly conscientious person is
responsible, organized, dependable, and persistent. Those who score low on this
dimension are easily distracted, disorganized, and unreliable.
2. Emotional stability- It is a person’s ability to withstand stress. People with
emotional stability tend to be calm, self-confident, and secure. High scorers are
more likely to be positive and optimistic; they are generally happier than low
scorers. Emotional stability is sometimes discussed as its converse, neuroticism.
Low scorers (those with high neuroticism) are hyper-vigilant and vulnerable to
the physical and psychological effects of stress. Those with high neuroticism tend
to be nervous, anxious, depressed, and insecure.
3. Extraversion- It captures our comfort level with relationships. Extraverts tend to
be gregarious, assertive, and sociable. They are generally happier and are often
ambitious. On the other hand, introverts (low extraversion) tend to be more
thoughtful, reserved, timid, and quiet.

19. 4. Openness to experience- It addresses the range of a person’s interests
and their fascination with novelty. Open people are creative, curious, and
artistically sensitive. Those at the low end of the category are
conventional and find comfort in the familiar.
5. Agreeableness- It refers to an individual’s propensity to defer to others.
Agreeable people are cooperative, warm, and trusting. You might expect
agreeable people to be happier than disagreeable people. They are, but
only slightly. When people choose organizational team members,
agreeable individuals are usually their first choice. In contrast, people
who score low on agreeableness can be cold and antagonistic.

21. Dark Triad
1. Machiavellianism- The degree to which an individual is pragmatic, maintains
emotional distance, and believes that ends can justify means. It may have ethical
implications.
2. Narcissism- The tendency to be arrogant, have a grandiose sense of self-
importance, require excessive admiration, and possess a sense of entitlement. They
often have fantasies of grand success, a tendency to exploit situations and people, a
sense of entitlement, and a lack of empathy. However, narcissists can be
hypersensitive and fragile people. They may also experience more anger.
3. Psychopathy- The tendency for a lack of concern for others and a lack of guilt or
remorse when actions cause harm. It is related to the use of hard influence tactics
(threats, manipulation) and bullying work behavior (physical or verbal threatening.

22. Other Personality Attributes
1) Core Self-Evaluations (CSEs)
• Bottom-line conclusions individuals have about their capabilities,
competence, and worth as a person.
• People who have positive CSEs like themselves and see themselves as
effective and in control of their environment.
• People with positive CSEs perform better than others because they set
more ambitious goals, are more committed to their goals, and persist
longer in attempting to reach them.
• They perform especially well if they feel their work provides meaning and is
helpful to others
• Those with negative CSEs tend to dislike themselves, question their
capabilities, and view themselves as powerless over their environment

23. 2) Self-monitoring
• A personality trait that measures an individual’s ability to adjust their behavior to external,
situational factors.
• High self-monitors show considerable adaptability in adjusting their behavior to external situational
factors.
• They are highly sensitive to external cues and can behave differently in varying situations,
sometimes presenting striking contradictions between their public personae and their private selves.
• High self-monitors pay closer attention to the behavior of others and are more capable of
conforming than are low self-monitors.
• High self-monitor employees show less commitment to their organizations but receive better
performance ratings and are more likely to emerge as leaders.
• High self-monitor managers tend to be more mobile in their careers, receive more promotions (both
internal and cross-organizational), and are more likely to occupy central positions in organizations.
• However, self-monitoring can be considered a mixed blessing: despite the aforementioned positive
benefits, self-monitors may be seen as inauthentic, self-serving, or unprincipled.
• Low self-monitors tend to display their true dispositions and attitudes in every situation; hence,
there is high behavioral consistency between who they are and what they do.
Other Personality Attributes (Cont.)

24. 3) Proactive personality
• People who identify opportunities, show initiative, take action, and persevere until
meaningful change occurs.
• Proactive individuals have many desirable behaviors that organizations covet.
• They have higher levels of job performance and creativity, do not need much oversight,
and are given more autonomy as a result.
• They tend to be satisfied with their jobs, committed to their organizations, and tend to
engage in more networking behaviors.
• Proactive individuals often achieve career success, although they are also more likely
to be envied by their coworkers (and prone to social undermining or the withholding of
help from coworkers)
Other Personality Attributes (Cont.)

25. Personality and Situations
1. Situation strength theory
• It indicates that the way personality translates into behavior depends on
the strength of the situation.
• Situation strength- The degree to which norms, cues, or standards dictate
appropriate behavior. Strong situations show us what the right behavior is,
pressure us to exhibit it. In weak situations, conversely, “anything goes,”
and thus we are freer to express our personality in behavior.
• Thus, personality traits better predict behavior in weak situations than in
strong ones.
• Situation strength in organizations can be studied in terms of four
elements- Clarity, Consistency, Constraints and Consequences

26. 1. Clarity, or the degree to which cues about work duties and responsibilities are
available and clear. Jobs high in clarity produce strong situations because
individuals can readily determine what to do.
2. Consistency, or the extent to which cues regarding work duties and
responsibilities are compatible with one another. Jobs with high consistency
represent strong situations because all the cues point toward the same desired
behavior.
3. Constraints, or the extent to which individuals’ freedom to decide or act is
limited by forces outside their control. Jobs with many constraints represent
strong situations because an individual has limited individual discretion.
4. Consequences, or the degree to which decisions or actions have important
implications for the organization or its members, clients, suppliers, and so on.
Jobs with important consequences represent strong situations because the
environment is probably heavily structured to guard against mistakes
Personality and Situations (Cont.)

27. 2) Trait activation theory (TAT)
• A theory that predicts that some situations, events, or interventions “activate” a
trait more than others.
• Using TAT, we can foresee which jobs suit certain personalities. For example, a
commission-based compensation plan would likely activate individual
differences because extraverts are more reward-sensitive, than, say, open
people. Conversely, in jobs that encourage creativity, differences in openness
may better predict desired behavior than differences in extraversion
• Together, situation strength and trait activation theories show that the debate
over nature versus nurture might best be framed as nature and nurture.
• Personality and the situation both affect work behavior, but when the situation is
right, the power of personality to predict behavior is even higher.
Personality and Situations (Cont.)

28. Person–Job Fit Theory
• The effort to match job requirements with personality characteristics is described by
John Holland
• A theory that identifies six personality types and proposes that the fit between
personality type and occupational environment determines satisfaction and turnover
• Identified 6 personality types are- Realistic, Investigative, Social, Conventional,
Enterprising, Artistic
• There are cultural implications for person–job fit that speak to workers’ expectations that
jobs will be tailored. In individualistic countries where workers expect to be heard and
respected by management, increasing person–job fit by tailoring the job to the person
increases the individual’s job satisfaction. However, in collectivistic countries, person–job
fit is a weaker predictor of job satisfaction because people do not expect to have a job
tailored to them, so they value person–job fit efforts less. Therefore, managers in
collectivistic cultures should not violate cultural norms by designing jobs for individuals;
rather, they should seek people who will likely thrive in jobs that have already been
structured

29. Holland’s Typology of Person–Job Fit Theory

30. Person–organization Fit
• A theory that people are attracted to and selected by organizations that
match their values, and leave when there is no compatibility
• Using the Big Five terminology, for instance, we could expect that
extraverts fit well with aggressive and teamoriented cultures, people
high on agreeableness match better with a supportive organizational
climate, and highly open people fit better in organizations that
emphasize innovation rather than standardization
• Following these guidelines when hiring should yield employees who fit
better with the organization’s culture, which should, in turn, result in
higher employee satisfaction and reduced turnover
• A match predicts high job satisfaction, commitment to the organization,
and task performance, as well as low turnover.

31. Other Dimensions of Fit
• Person– group fit is important in team settings, where the dynamics
of team interactions significantly affect work outcomes
• Person–supervisor fit has become an important area of research
because poor fit in this dimension can lead to lower job satisfaction
and reduced performance
• All dimensions of fit are sometimes broadly referred to as person–
environment fit. Each dimension can predict work attitudes, which
are partially based on culture