The Potential Relationship Between Personality And Job Performance And Finish By A Discussion On Personality Testing

The five-factor model (FFM) is a contemporary construct describing personality. It incorporates five traits – openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism also referred to as OCEAN. Within each dimension, there are specific personality attributes, for example, openness includes subcategories of feelings and actions. The FFM was influenced by Cattell’s 16-factor model (1957) and shares traits with many other personality theories such as Eysenck’s PEN model. There has been an ongoing debate discussing how many factors appropriately represent the brain structure of personality, suggestions have varied from 2-7, recently Almagor et al. (1995) advocated that a 7-factor model unfolds when evaluative traits are involved. Costa & Mcrae (1992) claim that the FFM is the best theory of personality, however, the model has received much criticism. Through examining different aspects of the model its credibility can be explored.

There are five major dimensions of personality: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness. Neuroticism includes anxiety, depression, hostility, impulsiveness, self-consciousness, and vulnerability. Warmth, gregariousness, assertiveness, activity, excitement seeking and positive emotions characterize extraversion. Openness includes openness to fantasy, aesthetics, feelings, actions, ideas and values. The facets of agreeableness include altruism, compliance, modesty, straightforwardness, tender-mindedness, and trust. Conscientiousness includes achievement striving, competence, deliberation, dutifulness, order and self-discipline (Article 3).

Personality can be defined through the model used in Parker’s et al. (2004) study which includes agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness, neuroticism, and extraversion. Agreeableness is getting along with other people, conscientiousness is the ability to stay on task, openness is how a person adapts to change, neuroticism is a predisposition to negative emotions, and extraversion is the need for sensation-seeking. Together those personality dimensions describe individual differences. To measure these dimensions, a common tool used was the NEO Five-Factor Inventory. This was a self-report questionnaire containing 60 items, and a score is calculated to indicate the level of each dimension.

Organizations are composed of individuals with different traits, values, motives and perceptions. This situation makes understanding Human Behavior in the management of organization as a full activity of leaders in their day to day self assessment. Thus, it is very fundamental to implement set of tools to understand human behavior as the existence of organization depends on its employees.

The results of both my personality and career tests were either somewhat true or completely off to what I believe the results should have been. To begin with, my personality test was correct in the areas of conscientiousness (work ethic), agreeableness, and natural reactions. However, was false in the areas of openness to experience, and extraversion. The results stated that I was a traditionalist, down-to-earth, practical, and conservative individual, but, in actuality, I have an imaginative, open-minded, and experimental personality. Moreover, it also stated that I was a very reserved, formal, serious, and quiet person. This is fairly true, but I am also an outgoing, friendly, and assertive human being, who likes to work with others.

Scroggins, Thomas, and Morris (2009) is a meta-analysis of the validity and practicality of using personality tests in employment selection. According to Scroggins, Thomas, and Morris (2009), personality tests using the Big Five can predict job performance; identify specific traits associated with a particular profession; job and training proficiency; performance motivation; career success; and organizational commitment. Additionally, personality tests combined with cognitive ability test reduce adverse impact; thereby, enhancing the validity of employment selection process (Scroggins, Thomas, & Morris, 2009). Specifically, the variety of items within the NEO PI scales allows organization to match job candidates with a particular job based on personality traits, for example, a salesman (Scroggins, Thomas, & Morris, 2009).

Agreeableness is the quality of interpersonal orientation. People who are agreeable tend to be considerate and friendly, and also have an optimistic view on human nature, while those who are disagreeable tend to be distant and uncooperative. Neuroticism is the degree of emotional stability. A person who is high in neuroticism are more inclined to experience negative emotions. On the other end of the scale, those who are low in neuroticism remain stable and balanced. These traits of personality relate to Costa and McCrae’s five factor model, which was covered in this course. Many psychologists have come to believe that these five personality traits are the main traits of human personality, and that all other traits can fit within the “Big Five”, also know by its acronym OCEAN. I believe the test is credible because of my results and the explanations given for my behaviors. The main result of the test is the type of personality one is. For example, the outcome of my test was an ISFP personality, which is also known as “The Adventurer”. The results then begin the explain what an ISFP personality means and gives many sections to explore ones personality such as their strengths and weaknesses, romantic relationships, friendships, what they would be like in parenthood, which careers are best suitable to them, their habits in the workplace, and

Personality has been inherently defined as possession of a particular set of characteristics possessed by people which influences their behaviour and reactions in different situation along with their motivation level to react to difficulties at the workplace. However, understanding personality traits and their development has been a contentious matter. Nonetheless, various theories have been forwarded to rather contribute to this contentious debate. For example employers set goals and encourage involvement with the company to have a better employee performance, which would result in higher motivation level subsequently leading to increased efficiency. Studies regarding the relationship between personality traits of a particular employee

Organisational Behaviour (OB) is the study of human behaviour in an organisation. It is a multidisciplinary field devoted to the understanding individual and group behaviour, interpersonal processes and organisational dynamics. OB is important to all management functions, roles and skills. Since organisations are built up levels - individual, group and an organizational system as a whole, it is important for managers to understand human behaviour in order to meet the organizations overall goals. I found several key learning areas that are meaningful, interesting and relevant to my work over the course of studying this unit. These key learning areas have not only expanded and improved my view of organisational behaviour but they also have

Following this, one study asked students to rate each other using several of Catell’s 16 personality factor scales. These results were submitted to factor analysis, from which five factors were drawn. These five factors included extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability and culture (Norman, 1963). It was McCrae and Costa that took Norman’s results and created the most influential and respected theory. Norman’s five personality traits were altered, explaining personality through openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism (McCrae & Costa Jr, 1999). These factors are bipolar and are named after the high pole side of the trait. This means that someone who is on the high end of the pole of neuroticism would be worried and insecure, and someone who is on the low end of the pole would

When considering the varying facets of personality types one must consider the complicated issue it presents. In spite of all the advancements that we have seen, being able to identify the difference in most personalities traits can be a daunting task. The different influences on personality development can be both genetic and environmental. The idea that neuroticism and extraversion are often listed as

“Personality refers to the relatively stable pattern of behaviours and consistent internal states that explain a person’s behavioural tendencies.” (Mcshane, Travaglione, 2005) In the past the use of personality testing to select employees was looked down upon and thought to not be an accurate predictor of an employee’s job performance, however with increased confidence in how personality is defined (The Five Factor Model) experts are starting to recognize the usefulness of personality tests in predicting work performance (Hurtz, Donovan, 2000). Agreeableness, which is a part of the Five Factor Model, is an important trait in employees ability to interact

The accurate definition of personality has been a point of discussion amongst many different philosophers within many different disciplines since the beginning of civilization. Personality can be defined as "the relatively stable set of psychological characteristics that influences the way an individual interacts with his or her environment" (Johns , 1996: 75). Personality has a rocky history within the workplace and organization behavior because of measurement problems. There is now a renewed interest because of the emphasis on service jobs with customer contact, concerns about ethics and integrity and contemporary interest in teamwork and cooperation. All of these point to the potential contribution of personality.

There have been more than 17,000 words that have been identified to describe personalities. Those 17,000 words have been narrowed down to five abstract personalities: conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness to experience and extraversion. “Conscientiousness characterizes people who are organized, dependable, goal-focused, thorough, disciplined, methodical, and industrious.” (McShane, 2013) pg. 42. Agreeableness, “includes traits of being trusting, helpful, good-natured, considerate, tolerant, selfless, generous, and flexible.” (McShane, 2013) pg. 42. Neuroticism, “characterizes people who tend to be anxious, insecure, self-conscious, depressed, and temperamental.” (McShane, 2013) pg. 42. Openness to experience refers, “to the extent to which people are imaginative, creative, unconventional, curious, nonconforming, autonomous, and aesthetically perceptive.” (McShane, 2013) pg. 43. Extraversion, “characterizes people who are outgoing, talkative, energetic, sociable and assertive.” (McShane, 2013) pg. 43. As stated by Amarilis your personalities may change overtime and it is important

Personality measure are increasingly being used by managers and human resources professions to evaluate the suitable of job applicants for positions across many levels in an organization (Goffin & Rothstein, 2006). This essay objective is to measure the extent about the personality that estimate employee’s performance. The term personality can be describe by the physical appearance and also by intellectual quantities. Physical appearance that helps to differentiate the unique character of people and the intellectual qualities is related to think in a logical or in clever way. The specific intellectual or physical abilities required for adequate job performance depend on