Individual Differences

Question 1

“Big 5” Dimensions of Personality

Answer 1

-openness to experience
-conscientiousness
-extraversion
-agreeableness
-need for stability/neuroticism

Question 2

Extraversion Definition

Answer 2

The degree to which a person can tolerate sensory stimulation from people and situations (assertiveness)

THINK: more extroverted = more enthusiastic + assertive

Question 3

Extraversion Examples

Answer 3

High Extraversion
-Shows a lot of positive feelings
-Prefers working with others
-Prefers to be physically active
-Enjoys responsibility of leading others
-Readily trusts others
-Speaks without regard for consequences

Low Extraversion
-Holds down positive feelings
-Prefers working alone
-Prefers being still in one place
-Prefers being independent of others
-Skeptical of others
-Carefully selects the right words

Question 4

Conscientiousness Definition

Answer 4

How an individual approaches goals (achievement-oriented)

THINK: more conscious = more organized + industrious (hardworking, persevering and determined)

Question 5

Conscientiousness Examples

Answer 5

High Conscientiousness:
- Continual need to refine or polish
-Keeps everything organizes
-Craves even more achievement
-Prefers completing tasks before shifting
-Develops plans for everything

Low Conscientiousness:
-Low need to continually refine or polish
-Comfortable with little formal organization
-Satisfied with current level of achievement
-Shifts easily between ongoing tasks
-Operated in a more spontaneous mode

Question 6

Need for Stability Definition

Answer 6

How we respond to stress / negative experiences (anxiousness)

THINK: more need for stability = more worried, pessimistic, intense, volatility

Question 7

Need for Stability Examples

Answer 7

High Need for Stability:
- Worrying
- Quick to feel anger
- Pessimistic explanations
-Longer rebound time

Low Need for Stability:
-At ease most of the time
-Usually calm
-Optimistic explanations
-Rapid rebound time

Question 8

Agreeableness Definition

Answer 8

The degree to which we take other’s opinions into account

THINK: more agreeable = more selfless, seeks harmony, polite, compassionate

Question 9

Agreeableness Examples

Answer 9

High Agreeableness:
- More interested in others’ needs
- Seeks harmony
-Uncomfortable with acknowledgement
-keeps opinions to self
-Prefers the background

Low Agreeableness:
-More interested in self needs
-Welcomes engagement
-Wants acknowledgement
-Usually expresses opinions
-Enjoys being out front

Question 10

Openness to Experience Definition

Answer 10

The extent to which someone seeks new experiences and is tolerant of change (creativity)

THINK: more open to experience = open to change, creates new plans/ideas, seeks complexity

Question 11

Openness to Experience Examples

Answer 11

High Openness to Experience:
-Creates new plans and ideas
-Seeks complexity
-Readily accepts changes and innovations
-Prefers a broad view and resists details

Low Openness to Experience:
-Implements plans
-Prefers simplicity
-Wants to maintain existing methods
-Attentive to details

Question 12

Positive and Negative Affectivity

Answer 12

Behavior is also a function of moods

Good moods can lead to more cooperation, more smiles, and friendly behavior

Bad moods can lead to picky, irritable, and less tolerant of different opinions

Positive affective people experience positive moods more frequently

Negative affective people experience negative moods with greater frequency

Sets the tone in work atmosphere or organizations.

Question 13

Self-Monitoring

Answer 13

Self-monitoring refers to the extent to which a person is capable of altering his or her actions and appearance in social situations

Question 14

Self-monitoring examples

Answer 14

High self-monitors understand what the situation demands and modify their behavior accordingly.

• more successful in their careers and more likely to advance
  -tend to be less accurate when evaluating someone else’s performance
• may experience higher levels of stress
  -may be less committed to their companies

Low self-monitors tend to act the way they feel.

Question 15

Proactive Personality

Answer 15

Refers to a person’s inclination to fix what is perceived as wrong, change the status quo, and use initiative to solve problems

Question 16

Advantages of Proactive Personality

Answer 16

• tend to be more successful in their job searches
• tend to be more successful over the course of their careers
• can adjust to their new jobs quickly because they understand the environment
  -often make friends more quickly
• are more responsive to the feedback they receive

Question 17

Self-Esteem Definition

Answer 17

the degree to which a person has overall positive feelings about oneself

Question 18

self esteem examples

Answer 18

high self-esteem people:
- view themselves in a positive light
-are confident
-respect themselves

low self-esteem people:
- experience high levels of self-dout
-question their self-worth

Question 19

Self-efficacy definition

Answer 19

is a belief that one can perform a specific task successfully

Question 20

self-efficacy examples

Answer 20

• the belief we can do something is a good predictor of whether we can actually do it
• self-efficacy is task specific
• people with high self-efficacy set higher goals for themselves and are more committed to these goals

-people with low self-efficacy tend to procrastinate

Question 21

Locus of Control

Answer 21

deals with the degree to which people feel accountable for their own behaviors

Question 22

locus of control examples

Answer 22

high internal locus of control people believe they control their own destiny

• feel greater control over their own lives
  -are more involved with their jobs
  -demonstrate higher levels of motivation
  -adopt problem-focused coping strategies

high external locus of control people feel that things happen to them