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PERSONALITY:
Personality is a pattern of stable
states and characteristics of a
person that influences his or her
behavior toward goal
achievement. Each person has
unique ways of protecting these
states.

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Heredity:
Physical stature,
facial attractiveness,
sex,
temperament,
muscle composition and reflexes,
energy level and biological
characteristics
that are considered to be inherent from one’s
parents.

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Theories can be conveniently grouped under five heads:

Theories of Personality:
Intrapsychic Theory
Type theories
Trait theories
Self-theory theory
Personality-Job Fit Theory

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Intrapsychic Theory (Sigmund Freud):

Personality as interaction between three
elements of personality: Id, ego and
superego
 Id: Id is the only part of the personality that is
present at birth. It is inherited, primitive,
inaccessible and completely unconscious.
 Hunger, thirst, sexual instincts etc.
 ego: ego is to satisfy the id’s urges. But the ego,
which is mostly conscious, according to the reality
principle.
 superego: When the child age is 5 or 6 the
superego – a moral guide, sets up indication that
define and limit the flexibility of ego.

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FREUD’S CONCEPTION OF THE
PERSONALITY

SUPEREGO conscious
(Conscience, Ego ideal)
EGO Preconscious

Id (untamed passion, sex instincts,

biological urges, aggressive and destructive impulses) Unconscious

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Defense Mechanisms:
Projection:
Example: A dishonest man may think everyone is out to cheat him.
Denial: refuse consciously
Example: Smokers use denial when they refuse to admit that
cigarettes are danger to their health.
Rationalization: We consciously supply a logic
Example: We make excuses for justify our failures and mistakes.
Regression: When frustrated we use revert to behavior that
might have reduced anxiety. Example: throwing things
Reaction formation: Unconscious impulses and desires.
Displacement : example: If your boss makes you angry, you
may take out your hostility on your friend.
Sublimation : Example: An aggressive person may re-channel
the aggression and become a football player.

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2. Type theories:
Body types and Behavioral
Correlations

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Body type Behavioral

temperament
Endomorph Softness and
spherical Love for comfort,
appearance; eats heavily, likes to
highly be around people
developed and desires affection.
abdominal area He is tempered,
shows a relaxed
posture, reads
showily, and is
tolerant to others.
He prefers to be led
than to lead.

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Body type Behavioral

temperament
Mesomorph Hard and
rectangular Individuals like
physique with physical adventure
predominance and risk taking.
of bone and He is aggressive and
muscle; strong; insensitive towards
tough and injury others.
resistance He desires action,
power and
domination. He is
athletic and seeks
outdoor activity.

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Body type Behavioral

temperament
Ectomorphy Linear and
fragile; flat He displays
chest and command, reserve,
delicate body; and desire for
usually thin and concealment. He
light muscled. tends to be
distrustful of people.
He works well in
closed areas. He
reacts quickly, sleeps
poorly, and prefers
solitude when his
mind is troubled.
Typically, He is
anxious, ambitious
and dedicated.
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Carl Jung’s Extrovert-introvert Theory
Extrovert Introvert

They are optimistic, They are contrast, and

outgoing and more inward-directed
sociable. Extroverts people. They tend to
are reality-oriented be guided by their own
individuals who are ideas and philosophy.
more doers than
thinkers.

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3. Trait theories:
(i)Common traits
(ii)Individual traits

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The Big-Five Model:
1. Extroversion:
Comfort level with relationships
 Extroverts: Gregarious, assertive, sociable
 Introverts: reserved, timid and quiet
1. Agreeableness:

Individuals propensity to defer to others.

 Highly agreeable: cooperative, warm, trusting
 Low agreeable: cold, disagreeable
1. Conscientiousness:
Measure of reliability
 Highly conscientious: responsible, organized
 Low Conscientious: distracted, disorganized
1. Emotional Stability:
Person’s ability to withstand stress
 Positive emotional stability: calm, self-confident, secure
 Negative emotional stability: nervous, anxious, insecure
1. Openness to Experience:
 Open people: creative, curious, artistically sensitive.
 Other end of openness: conventional
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4. Self-Theory:
(i)Conditions of Worth:
 Conditions of worth force us to live and act
according to someone else’s values rather
than our own.
 We experience stress and anxiety and our
whole self-structure may be threatened.

ii. Unconditional Positive Regard:

 Enable people to open themselves up to
experiences and begin to live according to
their own values rather than the values of
others in order to gain positive regard.
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Holland’s Type of Personality and
Matching Occupations

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Realistic: Prefers Physical •Shy, genuine, •Mechanic, drill press

activities that require skill, persistent, stable, operator, assembly-line
strength, coordination practical worker, farmer

Investigative: Prefers •Analytical, novel, •Biologist, economist,

activities that involve curious, mathematician, news
thinking, organizing and independent reporter
understanding

Social: Prefers activities that •Sociable, friendly, •Social worker, teacher,

involve helping and cooperative, counselor, clinical
developing others understanding psychologist

Conventional: Prefers rule- •Conforming, •Accountant, corporate

regulated, orderly, and efficient, practical, manager, bank teller,
unambiguous activities inflexible file clerk

Enterprising: Prefers verbal •Self-Confident, •Lawyer, real estate

activities in which there are ambitious, agent, public relations
opportunities to influence energetic. specialist
others and attain power

Artistic: Prefers ambiguous •Imaginative, •Painter, musician,

and unsystematic activities disorderly, writer, interior
that allow creative romantic, decorator.
expression. emotional,
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Major Personality Attributes influencing
OB:
(i)Locus of Control
 Internals
 Externals
(i)Machiavellianism
(ii)Self-esteem
(iii)Self-efficacy
(iv)Self-monitoring
(v)Positive / Negative Affect
(vi)Risk taking
(vii)Type A personality

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Major Personality Attributes influencing OB:
(i) Locus of Control
Internals: who believe that they control
their destinies.
 Higher job satisfaction, likely to assume
managerial positions, prefer participative
management styles.

Externals: who see their lives as being

controlled by outsides forces such as
luck or chance.
 Prefer more work structured work setting,
compliant, willing to follow directions.

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Major Personality Attributes influencing

OB:
ii. Machiavellianism:
Believe any means justify the desired
ends.
Manipulations of others are fine if it
helps achieve a goal.

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Major Personality Attributes influencing OB:
ii. Self-Esteem: Degree to which they like or dislike
themselves.

High-Self Esteem:
 Believe they possess more of the ability they
need in order to succeed at work.
 More satisfied with their jobs.

Low-Self Esteem:
 More susceptible to external influence.
 Depend on the receipt of positive evaluations
from others.
 Less satisfied with their jobs.

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Major Personality Attributes influencing

OB:
ii. Self-Efficacy: refers to an individuals belief
that he or she is capable of performing a task.

High-Self Efficacy:
 More confidence.

Low-Self Esteem:
 Slack their effort in difficult situations.

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Major Personality Attributes influencing

OB:
ii. Self-Monitoring: refers to an individuals ability
to adjust his or her behavior to external
situational factors.

High-Self Monitoring:
 Pay attention to what is appropriate in
particular situations and to the behavior of
other people.

Low-Self Monitoring:
 Act from internal states rather than paying
attention to the situation.
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Major Personality Attributes influencing

OB:
Positive/Negative Affect:

Positive Affect:
 Less absenteeism, co-operative behavior,
participative decision making, providing
pleasant working conditions.

Negative Affect:
 more stress, non cooperative, negative group
affects.

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Major Personality Attributes influencing

OB:
Risk taking:

High risk taking :

 High risk taking managers make more rapid
decisions and use less information.
Low risk taking:
 slow in terms of taking decisions,
centralization of authority, information
required to take decisions.

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Major Personality Attributes influencing OB:

Personality A and Personality B:
Type A personality:
 Are always moving, walking and eating rapidly.
 Feel impatient with the rate at which most events
take place.
 Cannot cope with leisure time.

Type B personality:
 Never suffer from a sense of time urgency.
 Feel no need to display or discuss about their
achievements.
 Play for fun and relaxation.
 Can relax without guilt.

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