PersonalityLecture 5

Definition Is a pattern of stable characteristics

of a person that influences his behavior towards goal achievement

It includes external appearance & behavior

It consists of inner awareness of self It is therefore a particular pattern of

measurable traits both inner & outer

Features Each person is unique & distinct: it consists of all those

characteristics which an individual has in common with others & some of which separates him from others

Each person has some stable patterns of behavior: although a person’s personality undergoes certain changes over time, most behavior patterns remain stable over the years

Personality is thus both internal & external elements: one can easily form an opinion by observing the external traits of a person. The internal states such as feelings & thoughts make a person somewhat unique

Major determinantsA. Biological factors

Heredity: physical features, facial features, gender, etc, all those features which are inborn

Brain: this refers to the IQ level of a person. Shows his analytical bent of mind

Biofeedback: All involuntary functions which affects behavior like blood pressure, brainwave patterns

Physical features: external appearances, a tall well built person has an imposing personality

Age: Aged employees tend to be more loyal with organizations than younger employees

Gender: Rate of absenteeism in females is higher than males

Ability: includes both intellectual & physical abilities, some parts of which are inborn

….contd B. Cultural factors

Norms prevailing within the family

Personality formation is influenced to a large extent in the culture in which we are born

….contdC. Family Factors Refers to the overall home environment

created by parents Siblings also contribute to personality

development Children raised by parents in a warm &

loving home become socially well adjusted

It also involves the socialization process when a child learns to interact & communicate with others in the society

…contd

D. Social factors Consists of friends, peers, colleagues, Relates to the process of socialization

E. Situational factors Refers to the effect of environment Varying demands of the situation

Theories Psychoanalytical Theory or Intra

psychic theory

Trait Theory

Psychoanalytical Theory or Intra psychic theory

Developed by Sigmund Freud This theory emphasizes the

unconscious determinants of behavior

He says personality is the interaction between 3 elements:

a) Id b) Ego c) Superego

…contd (Id) Id: is the only part of the personality that

is present at birth, inherited & uncontrolled

The id operates according to the pleasure principle & wants immediate fulfillment of its wants with or without logic

Id is largely childish, irrational & always demanding

…contd (Ego) Ego is the logical, rational, realistic part of the

personality

It keeps the id in check

It mostly operates on the reality principle & thus is mostly conscious

It considers the constraints of the real world in determining the appropriate time, place & object for gratification of the id’s wishes

…contd (Super Ego) Super ego is the moral component of the

personality

It is popularly known as the conscience which consists of all those behaviors for which we are punished or feel guilty

It is the most power element in one’s personality

Its main function is to keep the id & ego in check

Trait Theory A trait is a personal characteristic that is used to describe

& explain personality.

It is a set of relatively stable & consistent personal characteristics

Allport gave 2 main categories of traits: a) Common traits- those which are common to others

belonging to the same culture like praying before taking a meal which reflects religiousness of a person

b) Individual traits- specific or unique to an individual like good at painting or singing which shows artistic abilities

…contd Raymond Cattell’s 16 personality

framework can be divided into 2 parts:

i) Surface traits: observable qualities

of a person like honest, helpful, kind etc

ii) Source traits: these are the causes of behavior like intelligence, practicality etc

Cattell’s 16 traits Reserved vs Outgoing Less intelligent vs More intelligent Emotionally stable vs Emotionally unstable Submissive vs Dominant Serious vs Happy go lucky Expedient vs Conscientious Timid vs Venturesome Tough minded vs Sensitive Trusting vs Suspicious Practical vs Imaginative Forthright vs Shrewd Self assured vs Apprehensive Conservative vs Experimenting Group dependent vs Self sufficient Uncontrolled vs Controlled Relaxed vs Tense

The Big 5 Personality Dimensions Conscientiousness: extent of obedience & hard working

vs lazy & unorganized

Extraversion: the degree to which a person can connect & gel up with other individuals vs introvert & reserved people

Agreeableness: cooperation vs non cooperation

Emotional stability: the degree to which an individual is secure vs insecurity

Openness: the extent to which an individual is creative & open to new ideas vs narrow ideas

Importance in the organisation Matching jobs & individuals- every job needs some

specific characteristics of the job performer

Training & Development- certain skills can be developed through training

Designing Motivation System- All people cannot be motivated by the same incentives, some prefer monetary incentives while some prefer non monetary

Designing control systems- democratic or autocratic, different personality variable react differently to different control mechanism