Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Chapter Two Individual Differences, Mental Ability, and Personality

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada LimitedCopyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

Chapter TwoChapter Two

Individual Differences, Individual Differences,

Mental Ability, and Mental Ability, and PersonalityPersonality

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada LimitedCopyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 22

ObjectivesObjectivesAfter reading and studying this chapter, you should be able to:After reading and studying this chapter, you should be able to:

1.1. Explain how individual differences influence Explain how individual differences influence the behaviour of people in organizations.the behaviour of people in organizations.

2.2. Describe key factors contributing to Describe key factors contributing to demographic diversity.demographic diversity.

3.3. Explain how mental ability relates to Explain how mental ability relates to performance.performance.

4.4. Identify major personality variables that Identify major personality variables that influence job performance.influence job performance.

5.5. Explain how emotional intelligence is an Explain how emotional intelligence is an important part of organizational behaviour.important part of organizational behaviour.


Exhibit 2-1 Major Factors Exhibit 2-1 Major Factors Underlying Individual Underlying Individual

DifferencesDifferences


The Impact of Individual The Impact of Individual DifferencesDifferences

B = f (P x E)B = f (P x E)

Behaviour is a function of a person Behaviour is a function of a person interacting with the environment.interacting with the environment.


Individual Differences Influence Individual Differences Influence the Task of Managing Peoplethe Task of Managing People

People differ in:People differ in: productivity.productivity. ability and talent.ability and talent. their propensity for their propensity for

achieving high-achieving high-quality results.quality results.

how much they want how much they want to be empowered to be empowered and involved.and involved.

People differ in:People differ in: the style of leadership the style of leadership

they prefer and need.they prefer and need. their need for contact their need for contact

with other people.with other people. their commitment and their commitment and

loyalty to the firm.loyalty to the firm. their level of self-their level of self-

esteem.esteem.


Demographic DiversityDemographic Diversity

Sex and genderSex and gender Age and experienceAge and experience Ethnicity and cultureEthnicity and culture Disability statusDisability status


Sex and Gender DifferencesSex and Gender Differences MenMen

Communicate to Communicate to convey info or convey info or establish statusestablish status

Emphasize Emphasize immediate goalsimmediate goals

More aggressiveMore aggressive Value equityValue equity Less courteousLess courteous

WomenWomen Communicate to Communicate to

establish rapport & establish rapport & solve problems solve problems

Better understand Better understand nonverbal nonverbal communicationcommunication

More emotionally More emotionally expressiveexpressive

More trusting, More trusting, nurturingnurturing

Value equalityValue equality


Age- and Experience-based Age- and Experience-based DifferencesDifferences

Worker shortage looming, yet Worker shortage looming, yet unemployment highest for those over 45unemployment highest for those over 45

Age discrimination, negative stereotypes Age discrimination, negative stereotypes of older workers yet research shows:of older workers yet research shows: Age and performance generally unrelated Age and performance generally unrelated

(except for complex jobs)(except for complex jobs) Older have lower absenteeism, illness, Older have lower absenteeism, illness,

accident rates, higher job satisfaction, more accident rates, higher job satisfaction, more positive work valuespositive work values


Ethnic and Cultural Ethnic and Cultural DifferencesDifferences

Differences in group performance Differences in group performance usually more attributable to culture usually more attributable to culture than to ethnicity itselfthan to ethnicity itself


Disability StatusDisability Status

Duty to accommodateDuty to accommodate Presence of physical disability not Presence of physical disability not

related to poorer performancerelated to poorer performance Low turnover in disabledLow turnover in disabled


Mental AbilityMental Ability Components of intelligence:Components of intelligence:

g (general) factorg (general) factor Strong predictor of performance, success in Strong predictor of performance, success in

training, occupational prestige, training, occupational prestige, accomplishments in jobaccomplishments in job

s (special) factorss (special) factors memory, verbal comprehension, word fluency, memory, verbal comprehension, word fluency,

numerical, spatial, perceptual speed, inductive numerical, spatial, perceptual speed, inductive reasoning)reasoning)

Contribute to overall mental aptitude & Contribute to overall mental aptitude & enjoyment of work associated with that aptitudeenjoyment of work associated with that aptitude


Triarchic Theory of Triarchic Theory of IntelligenceIntelligence

Traditional view inadequateTraditional view inadequate Proposes three components:Proposes three components:

Analytical Analytical – reasoning, problem solving– reasoning, problem solvingCreativeCreative – imagination, innovation – imagination, innovationPracticalPractical – adapting to environment, “street – adapting to environment, “street

smarts”smarts”

Analytical may decline with age but Analytical may decline with age but practical is maintained or increasespractical is maintained or increases


Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Gardner’s Theory of Multiple IntelligencesIntelligences

People know and understand the world in different ways and People know and understand the world in different ways and through different lenses.through different lenses. Lenses formed by eight Lenses formed by eight intelligences:intelligences:

LinguisticLinguistic Logical-mathematicalLogical-mathematical MusicalMusical SpatialSpatial Bodily/kinestheticBodily/kinesthetic IntrapersonalIntrapersonal InterpersonalInterpersonal Naturalist Naturalist

““Your profile of intelligences influences how you will best Your profile of intelligences influences how you will best learn, and for which types of jobs you are best suited.”learn, and for which types of jobs you are best suited.”


Personality DifferencesPersonality Differences

Personality refers to the persistent Personality refers to the persistent and enduring behaviour patterns of and enduring behaviour patterns of an individual that are expressed in a an individual that are expressed in a wide variety of situationswide variety of situations


Five Factor Model of Five Factor Model of PersonalityPersonality

NeuroticismNeuroticism High: prone to psychological distress, anxietyHigh: prone to psychological distress, anxiety Low: high emotional stability, calm, confidentLow: high emotional stability, calm, confident

ExtraversionExtraversion Social, assertive, talkative, activeSocial, assertive, talkative, active Associated with successful leadership Associated with successful leadership

(however, some introverted leaders effective)(however, some introverted leaders effective) Openness to experienceOpenness to experience

Curious, broad-minded, artistically sensitiveCurious, broad-minded, artistically sensitive


Five Factor Model of Five Factor Model of Personality Personality (continued)(continued)

AgreeablenessAgreeableness Quality of interpersonal orientation; Quality of interpersonal orientation;

friendly, co-operative, courteousfriendly, co-operative, courteous ConscientiousnessConscientiousness

Dependability; careful, thorough, Dependability; careful, thorough, responsible, organized, hard working, responsible, organized, hard working, achievement orientedachievement oriented

At extreme can lead to workaholism and At extreme can lead to workaholism and perfectionismperfectionism


More Personality Factors of More Personality Factors of InterestInterest

Self-monitoring behaviourSelf-monitoring behaviour Observing and controlling how appear to Observing and controlling how appear to

othersothers High: pragmatic, can be chameleon-like High: pragmatic, can be chameleon-like

actors in social groups, often good at actors in social groups, often good at office politicsoffice politics

Low: avoid situations that require Low: avoid situations that require different outer images, can be inflexibledifferent outer images, can be inflexible

Risk taking and thrill seekingRisk taking and thrill seeking


More Personality Factors of More Personality Factors of InterestInterest

Locus of controlLocus of control Where see causation in lifeWhere see causation in life Internal: “I control what happens to Internal: “I control what happens to

me.”me.” External: “What happens to me depends External: “What happens to me depends

on luck and circumstances.”on luck and circumstances.”


Research Results on Research Results on PersonalityPersonality

Personality structure seems universalPersonality structure seems universal ConscientiousnessConscientiousness widely related to job widely related to job

performanceperformance Conscientiousness and intelligenceConscientiousness and intelligence combo combo

especially powerfulespecially powerful Self-monitoringSelf-monitoring related to performance and related to performance and

leadershipleadership Internal locus of controlInternal locus of control people more mature, people more mature,

responsible, self-reliant and have higher job responsible, self-reliant and have higher job satisfactionsatisfaction

Agreeableness and conscientiousnessAgreeableness and conscientiousness predict predict work-team performancework-team performance


Cognitive StylesCognitive Styles

Cognitive styles refer to processes Cognitive styles refer to processes used to perceive & make judgements used to perceive & make judgements from informationfrom information

Myers Briggs Type Indicator is widely Myers Briggs Type Indicator is widely used measure of personality and used measure of personality and cognitive stylecognitive style

Based on Jung’s workBased on Jung’s work


Cognitive Styles Cognitive Styles (contd.)(contd.)

Four-way classification:Four-way classification: Introverted versus extrovertedIntroverted versus extroverted Thinking versus feelingThinking versus feeling Sensing versus intuitingSensing versus intuiting Judging versus perceivingJudging versus perceiving

Affect occupational preferencesAffect occupational preferences


Cognitive Styles: Cognitive Styles: Myers Briggs Type IndicatorMyers Briggs Type Indicator

Myers Briggs Typology – 16 types of Myers Briggs Typology – 16 types of cognitive styles. Four examples are:cognitive styles. Four examples are:

ENTP – ConceptualizerENTP – Conceptualizer ISTJ – TraditionalistISTJ – Traditionalist INTJ – VisionaryINTJ – Visionary ESTJ – OrganizerESTJ – Organizer

See fig 2.4, page 20 for more detailSee fig 2.4, page 20 for more detailSource: Figure 2.4, page 20. Original source: The personality descriptions are based on information from Myers-Briggs Type Indicator by Katharine C. Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers. Copyright 1983 by Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc. Allrights reserved.


Emotional IntelligenceEmotional Intelligence

Refers to qualities in understanding Refers to qualities in understanding one’s own feelings, empathy for one’s own feelings, empathy for others and regulating emotions to others and regulating emotions to enhance livingenhance living

High emotional intelligence High emotional intelligence characteristic of effective leaderscharacteristic of effective leaders

Emotionally intelligent better able to Emotionally intelligent better able to cope with setbackscope with setbacks


Key Factors in Emotional Key Factors in Emotional IntelligenceIntelligence

Self-awarenessSelf-awareness

Self-managementSelf-management

Social awarenessSocial awareness

Relationship managementRelationship management


Self-awarenessSelf-awareness

Most essential of four factorsMost essential of four factors Ability to understand one’s own Ability to understand one’s own

emotionsemotions Leads to awareness of own strengths Leads to awareness of own strengths

and limitations, allows high self-esteemand limitations, allows high self-esteem Effective use of feedback to understand Effective use of feedback to understand

how one’s behaviours are receivedhow one’s behaviours are received


Self-managementSelf-management

Ability to control one’s emotions and Ability to control one’s emotions and act with honesty and integrity in act with honesty and integrity in consistent and adaptable mannerconsistent and adaptable manner


Social awarenessSocial awareness

Empathy for othersEmpathy for others Intuition about organizational Intuition about organizational

problemsproblems Can “size up” situations, people, Can “size up” situations, people,

political forcespolitical forces


Relationship ManagementRelationship Management

Interpersonal skills: communication, Interpersonal skills: communication, conflict management, persuasion, conflict management, persuasion, building networkbuilding network

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Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Chapter Two Individual Differences, Mental Ability, and Personality