1. Understanding Personality, Values and More
Chapter 8:
Understanding Personality, Values and More
Learning Objectives:
Understand what is Personality
Understand how Personality contributes to differences in individual behaviour
Appreciate various factors influencing Personality
Understand Indian context shaping individual personality
Explore important concepts related to Personality

2. Meaning of Personality
Numerous theories and approaches
In general,
a wide range of individual attributes
that distinguish people from one another
the enduring and consistent characteristics
leading to predictable patterns of behaviour in similar ways across situations and settings

3. Definitions of Personality
According to Hogan, Personality has two different meanings:
The way an individual is perceived by others - the observer’s perspective, public and verifiable
The structures, dynamics, processes, and propensities that explain why a person behaves in a characteristic way; private, must be inferred

4. Factors shaping Personality
Biological Factors
Genetic Influences
Personality as viewed by self and others:
(A) Traits and Affectivity
B) Core self evaluations
Social Influences including Family background
Person-situation interaction
Others, Task, Organisation

5. Using Personality Measurement
Of interest for persons wanting to be more effective, consultants, recruiters, reformers, counselors, therapists and researchers
Measurement has revealed some interesting findings
Leader failure could be understood better from the leader’s personality, than personality measurement predicting leader effectiveness
Lack of creativity-relevant processes included personality as one of the reasons, personality also explained successful differentiation strategy through innovation
Negative behaviour at work, including violence and aggression
Crucial links between personality type and differing response to workplace conflict

6. Trait Theory of Measurement
Consistent behaviour across situations
Individual Trait
Cluster of traits, i.e. a “Facet”
Cluster of Facets, i.e. a Factor
Group of factors, i.e. a Dimension

7. Big Five of Personality
Follows the Traits approach to stable and heritable aspects of personality
Consistent behaviour across situations reveals Individual Trait
A Cluster of traits is known as a “Facet”
Cluster of Facets is called a Factor
The reviews support the validity of this approach
Generalized for cultures and allows self, peer, observer, and stranger ratings to measure personality
Uses Analyses of trait adjectives, factor analysis of personality inventories, expert judges’ categorizations of existing personality measures

8. Five Factor Model Neuroticism – opposite of Emotional Stabilty
Extraversion- opposite of Introversion
Openness to Experience
Agreeableness – compassion to Antagonism
Conscientiousness

9. Positive and Negative Affectivity
Tendency to feel consistently positively/negatively towards objects. Positive Affectivity (PA) and Negative Affectivity (NA) considered basic dimensions of personality
High PA: high energy, optimism, enthusiasm, pleasurable engagement, like interpersonal relationships, overall wellbeing, job satisfaction, achievement-oriented activities
High NA: distress, unpleasurable engagement, nervousness, agitation, and pessimism, higher levels of anxiety, dissatisfaction, focus on the unpleasant aspects of themselves, the world, the future, and other people

10. Core Self-evaluations
Basic conclusions or bottom-line evaluations that individuals hold about themselves and their worthiness and capability
Self Esteem
Self-esteem is a person’s overall evaluation or appraisal of himself/herself as an individual
Self Efficacy
Self-efficacy represents an individual’s belief in his or her capabilities to successfully accomplish a specific task or set of tasks
Locus of Control
Perception of Locus of Control (LOC) is a personality variable reflecting the degree to which individuals believe that they control events in their lives, rather than the environment, luck or fate

11. Indian context shaping Personality
Indian personality is characterized by
dependency, 'seldom directed to task performance based on assessment and understanding of the reality of the environment',
general apathy towards work, low accountability and commitment.
hierarchical, mechanistic structures embodying authority, rigidly defined roles and risk-avoidance
Adult Socialisation
During this phase, the individual develops capability of becoming a contributing, productive member of the society
On the personal front, capable of intimate relationship, faith and trust in self and others, integrity of character
Adolescent Socialisation
Cross-over between childhood, adulthood and Identity crisis, strong identity is developed if appropriate values are developed

12. Values, Value System and Work Values
Individual Values
Values held by individual’s referent group (s)
Attitudes
Individual choice making, decision making
Fit between the individual and the organisation
Leadership processes such as visioning, transformation
Strength of organisational culture or sub culture

13. Emotion,EI Emotional Intelligence: major components -
Emotion is a subjective feeling state, consisting of: Thought (evaluating situation/stimuli), Action (arousal and movement), Motivation (behaviour intentions or readiness)
Emotional Intelligence: major components -
Self awareness: knowing one's emotions
Self-control and resilience managing emotions
Self-recognizing motivation and creativity
Empathy: emotion in others
Helping others manage their emotions: handling relationships through social and organisational skills, handling diversity, resolving conflicts, transformational leadership