Personality Flashcards
Define personality
The relatively stable set of psychological characteristics that influence the way an individual interacts with their environment and how they feel, think, and behave
What is our measure and understanding of personality based on?
How we communicate with other people
Is personality a result of nature or nurture?
Nature and nurture work together. The development of a person is a result of both nature and nurture, and people are changing and developing over time
What is the difference between personality and the situation? (Give an example)
If someone isn’t normally a grumpy person but is always grumpy in class because it’s in the morning and they’re not a morning person. They are grumpy at the situation, not because it’s who you are
What is the dispositional approach?
The idea that “people are who they are” because there is something genetic about them that won’t change, and it helps to predict their behaviour
How does the dispositional approach affect hiring?
Businesses can hire people cased on specific characteristics and be confident that they will behave in certain ways. Eg. if you think that extraverts make good leaders, you would narrow your search and test candidates for extraversion
What is the situational approach?
The idea that a person’s personality will not be stable across different situations, and can only be explained by the situation they are in
How does the situational approach affect businesses?
Anyone could be a great leader given the right circumstances. Companies would want to adjust their work environment so that they person in the position can perform well
What is the interactionist approach?
The theory that behaviour is a function of both dispositions and the situation
What is the most widely accepted approach to OB?
Interactionist approach
Describe a strong situation
Where there are clearly defined roles, strong behavioural norms, many external constraints on behaviour
Describe the role of personality in a strong situation
Personality has less influence
Describe a weak situation
Loosely define roles and rules, few external constraints on behaviour
Describe the role of personality in a weak situation
Personality has more influence
What are the implications of personality on jobs?
Different jobs will be good fits for different people depending on their personality. There is no one best personality for all jobs
What is the one personality trait that predicts best across all jobs?
Conscientiousness
What is the Five-Factor Model of Personality?
The five basic but general independent dimensions that describe personality
What are the five basic personality types?
- Extraversion
- Emotional Stability
- Agreeableness
- Conscientiousness
- Openness to Experience
Describe the traits of extraversion
Sociable and talkative vs. withdrawn and shy
Describe the traits of emotional stability
Stable and confident vs. depressed and anxious
Describe the traits of agreeableness
Tolerant and cooperative vs. cold and rude
Describe the traits of conscientiousness
Dependable and responsible vs. careless and impulsive
Describe the traits of openness to experience
Curious and original vs. dull and unimaginative
For what jobs is extraversion important?
Jobs that require interpersonal interaction and where being sociable, assertive, energetic, and ambitious is important for success
For what skills is emotional stability (neuroticism) important?
Persons high on emotional stability will have more effective interactions with co-workers and customers as they tend to be more calm and secure
For what jobs is agreeableness important?
Jobs that involve interaction and helping, teamwork and cooperation, “civility behaviours,” nurturing/mentoring others, and counseling
For what is conscientiousness most important?
Important for job performance on most jobs given the tendency towards hard work and achievement
For what jobs is openness to experience important?
Jobs that involve learning and creativity given the tendency to be intellectual, curious, and imaginative
What are some of the adjectives that describe extraversion?
Bold, energetic, extraverted
What are some of the adjectives that describe introversion?
Bashful, quiet, shy, talkative, withdrawn
What are some of the adjectives that describe emotional stability?
Relaxed
What are some of the adjectives that describe neuroticism?
Envious, fretful, jealous, moody, temperamental, touchy
What are some of the adjectives that describe high agreeableness?
Cooperative, kind, sympathetic, warm
What are some of the adjectives that describe low agreeableness?
Cold, harsh, rude, unsympathetic
What are some of the adjectives that describe high conscientiousness?
Efficient, organized, practical, systematic
What are some of the adjectives that describe low conscientiousness?
Careless, disorganized, inefficient, sloppy
What are some of the adjectives that describe high openness to experience?
Complex, creative, deep, imaginative, intellectual, philosophical
What are some of adjectives that describe low openness to experience?
Uncreative, unintellectual
What does conscientiousness predict?
Important for most jobs, strongest predictor of overall job performance across all occupations
What does extraversion predict?
Good predictor of overall job performance, especially influential in social interactions
What does neuroticism (emotional stability) predict?
Good predictor of overall job performance, especially influential in social interactions
What does openness to experience predict?
Good predictor of success in jobs involving learning and creativity
What does agreeableness predict?
Good predictor of success in jobs requiring cooperative interactions
Define Locus of Control
A set of beliefs about whether one’s behaviour is controlled mainly by internal or external factors
What do people believe if they have an internal locus of control?
The opportunity to control their own behaviour resides within themselves
What do people believe if they have an external locus of control?
External forces determine their behaviour
Are internals or externals more satisfied with their jobs?
Internals are more satisfied with their jobs, earn more money, and achieve higher organizational positions. They also perceive less stress, cope with stress better, and engage in more careful career planning
Define self-monitoring
How people observe and regulate how they appear to other people
Describe high self-monitors
They take great care to observe and control the images that they project. They show concern for socially appropriate behaviour and social cues, and regulate their behaviour and self-presentation accordingly. They gravitate to jobs that require role-playing and use of self-presentation skills
Define self-esteem
The degree to which a person has a positive self-evaluation
Describe people with high self-esteem
People with high self-esteem have favourable self-images
Describe people with low self-esteem
People with low self-esteem have unfavourable self-images
What is behavioural plasticity theory? What’s it’s connection to self-esteem?
The extent to which human behaviour can be altered by environment factors. People with low self-esteem tend to be more susceptible to external and social influences than those who have high self-esteem
Define positive affectivity
People who experience positive emotions and moods and view the world in a positive light
Define negative affectivity
People who experience negative emotions and moods and view the world in a negative light
Describe proactive personality
Reflects a tendency to behave proactively; to search for and identify opportunities, show initiative and take action, and persevere until they bring about meaningful change
Define general self-efficacy
An individual’s belief in his or her ability to perform successfully in a variety of challenging situations (a motivational trait rather than an affective trait)
What are the four components of core self-evaluations?
- Self-esteem
- General self-efficacy
- Locus of control
- Emotional stability
