Personality and Values

Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

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Chapter 5: Personality and Values

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Learning ObjectivesAfter studying this chapter, you should be able to:Describe personality, the way it is measured, and the

factors that shape it.Describe the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality

framework and its strengths and weaknesses.Identify the key traits in the Big Five personality model.Demonstrate how the Big Five traits predict behavior at

work.Describe how the situation affects whether personality

predicts behavior.Contrast terminal and instrumental values.Compare generational differences in values.Identify Hofstede’s five value dimensions of national

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Describe Personality, the Way It Is Measured, and the Factors that Shape It

Defining Personality Personality is a dynamic concept describing the

growth and development of a person’s whole psychological system.

The sum total of ways in which an individual reacts to and interacts with others.

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Managers need to know how to measure personality. Personality tests are useful in hiring decisions and

help managers forecast who is best for a job.The most common means of measuring personality

is through self-report surveys.

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Personality Determinants Is personality the result of heredity or

environment? Heredity refers to those factors that were

determined at conception. The heredity approach argues that the ultimate

explanation of an individual’s personality is the molecular structure of the genes, located in the chromosomes.

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Early research tried to identify and label enduring personality characteristics. Shy, aggressive, submissive, lazy, ambitious, loyal,

and timid.These are personality traits.

Early efforts to identify the primary traits that govern behavior often resulted in long lists that were difficult to generalize from and provided little practical guidance to organizational decision makers.

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Describe the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Personality Framework and Its Strengths

and WeaknessesOne of the most widely used personality frameworks

is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).Individuals are classified as:

Extroverted or Introverted (E or I) Sensing or Intuitive (S or N) Thinking or Feeling (T or F) Perceiving or Judging (P or J)

INTJs are visionaries. ESTJs are organizers. ENTPs are conceptualizers.

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Identify the Key Traits in the Big Five Personality Model

1. Extraversion2. Agreeableness 3. Conscientiousness 4. Emotional stability 5. Openness to experience

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Demonstrate How The Big Five Traits Predict Behavior At Work



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The five factors appear in almost all cross-cultural studies.

Generally, the findings corroborate what has been found in U.S. research Of the Big Five traits, conscientiousness is the best

predictor of job performance.

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The Dark Triad1. Machiavellianism – the degree to which an individual

is pragmatic, maintains emotional distance, and believes that ends can justify means.

2. Narcissism – the tendency to be arrogant, have a grandiose sense of self-importance, require excessive admiration, and have a sense of entitlement.

3. Psychopathy – the tendency for a lack of concern for others and a lack of guilt or remorse when their actions cause harm.

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Approach-Avoidance The approach-avoidance framework – casts

personality traits as motivations.Approach motivation is attraction to positive

stimuli. Avoidance motivation is our aversion to

negative stimuli.

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Other Personality Traits Relevant to OB Core Self-Evaluation – bottom line conclusions

individuals have about their capabilities, competence, and worth as a person.

Self-Monitoring – measures an individual’s ability to adjust his or her behavior to external, situational factors.

Proactive Personality – people who identify opportunities, show initiative, take action, and persevere until meaningful change occurs.

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Describe How the Situation Affects Whether Predicts BehaviorPersonality and Situations

Situation strength theory – indicates that the way personality translates into behavior depends on the strength of the situation.The degree to which norms, cues, or standards

dictate appropriate behavior.ClarityConsistencyConstraintsConsequences

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Describe How the Situation Affects Whether Predicts Behavior

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Contrast Terminal and Instrumental Values

Values – basic convictions about what is right, good, or desirable.

Value system – ranks values in terms of intensity. The Importance and Organization of Values

Values lay the foundation for understanding of attitudes and motivation.

Values generally influence attitudes and behaviors. Terminal values – desirable end-states of existence.Instrumental values – preferred modes of behavior

or means of achieving terminal values.

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Compare GenerationalDifferences in Values

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Compare Generational Differences in Values

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Person-Organization Fit People high on extraversion fit well with

aggressive and team-oriented cultures. People high on agreeableness match up better

with a supportive organizational climate than one focused on aggressiveness.

People high on openness to experience fit better in organizations that emphasize innovation rather than standardization.

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Identify Hofstede’s Five Value Dimensions Of National Culture

Five value dimensions of national culture1. Power distance2. Individualism versus collectivism3. Masculinity versus femininity4. Uncertainty avoidance5. Long-term versus short-term orientation

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Different cultural values by nation.Enormously influential on OB research and

managers, but still criticized. Original work is more than 30 years old and based

on a single company (IBM). Important social and political changes since then. Methodology concerns.


The GLOBE Framework for Assessing Culture The Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior

Effectiveness (GLOBE) research program updated Hofstede’s research.Data from 825 organizations and 62 countries.Used variables similar to Hofstede’s.Added some news ones.

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Implications for ManagersAs a manager, you are more likely to appreciate,

evaluate positively, and allocate rewards to employees who fit in, and your employees are more likely to be satisfied if they perceive they do fit in. Plan to objectively consider your employees’ performance accordingly.

Consider screening job candidates for high conscientiousness, as well as the other Big Five traits, depending on the criteria your organization finds most important. Other traits, such as core self-evaluation or narcissism, may be relevant in certain situations. 5-26


Implications for ManagersYou need to evaluate your employees’ jobs, their work groups,

and your organization to determine the optimal personality fit.Take into account employees' situational factors when

evaluating their observable personality traits, and lower the situation strength to better ascertain personality characteristics.

Although the MBTI has been widely criticized, it may have a place in organizations. You may consider the results helpful for training and development. The results can also help employees better understand themselves, help team members better understand each other, open up communication in work groups, and possibly reduce conflicts. 5-27


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