EXTROVERSION AND MEDIA RICHNESS: AN …web02.gonzaga.edu/comltheses/proquestftp/Dudek... · PREFERENCES OF HIGH EXTROVERTS WITHIN SALES ORGANIZATIONS _____ A Thesis Presented to the

EXTROVERSION AND MEDIA RICHNESS: AN ANALYSIS OF MEDIA

PREFERENCES OF HIGH EXTROVERTS WITHIN SALES ORGANIZATIONS

______________________________

A Thesis

Presented to the Faculty in Communication and Leadership Studies

School of Professional Studies

Gonzaga University

______________________________

Under the Supervision of Dr. Michael Hazel

Under the Mentorship of Dr. Dave Givens

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In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership Studies

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By

Donna M. Dudek

May 2016

Gonzaga University

MA Program in Communication and Leadership Studies

ABSTRACT

Personality traits and vocational acumen have been the source of research in recent years. Using

personality measures such as the Five Factor model, researchers have sought to find common

traits which may predict success in critical organizational roles. Communication needs and

desires, including media richness choices, have also been the subject of past research. The

purpose of this thesis is to tie these two themes together. Using a survey instrument containing

both a personality inventory and a questionnaire examining media preferences in different

scenarios, the author gathered data from sales professionals, client service professionals, and

managers to evaluate similarities and differences in personality traits. Then, to tie prior themes

together, the same population was asked to evaluate preferred communication media for different

scenarios of incoming and outgoing messages. The resulting data showed overall high

expectations for the richest media for incoming messages without regard for personality type.

Those high in Extroversion, however, showed higher preference for communicating with others

by face-to-face interaction.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

Importance of the Study 1

Statement of Purpose 1

Definition of Terms Used 2

Organization of Remaining Chapters 2

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 4

Philosophical Assumptions 4

Theoretical Basis 5

The Literature 6

Rationale 12

Research Questions 13

CHAPTER 3: SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY 14

Scope of the Study 14

Methodology 15

Data Analysis 17

CHAPTER 4: THE STUDY 18

Introduction 18

Results of the Study 19

Discussion 33

CHAPTER 5: SUMMARIES AND CONCLUSIONS 38

Limitations of the Study 38

Recommendations for Further Study 39

Conclusions 40

REFERENCES 42

APPENDICES 46

Appendix A: Questionnaire Section 1 – Demographics 46

Appendix B: Questionnaire Section 2 – Big Five Inventory 47

Appendix C: Questionnaire Section 3 – Media Preferences 48

Appendix D: Participants with Big Five Inventory Scores 49

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Importance of the Study

In sales organizations, maintaining a productive and engaged sales staff is crucial to

profitability. Time spent by sales professionals in non-selling activities reduces potential contacts

to clients and customers, thereby decreasing sales opportunities. Communicating clearly with

sales professionals, therefore, can have a direct impact on sales revenue. If sales professionals

understand the message and its impact, they should be able to spend less time on message

interpretation and more time on sales-related functions. Furthermore, if sales professionals have

specific expectations and desires for receiving messages by way of a particular communication

medium, it might be prudent to consider media selection carefully when crafting messages to

sales professionals. Taking steps to understand the role of communication media choice on

message effectiveness within sales organizations can have an impact on enabling sales

professionals to maintain a high level of sales-generating activities.

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the role of personality traits on message media

preferences. First, an examination of common personality characteristics within sales

professionals was conducted. Second, if there is a commonality of traits within sales

professionals, then does it follow that this common trait impacts media preferences. The research

study conducted as a part of this thesis examined levels of extroversion among sales

professionals. It then tested expectations for delivery for messages with personal impact as well

as messages without personal impact. It went one step further by examining media choice for

outgoing messages of both negative and positive content. This examination was designed to shed

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light on whether the personality traits of sales professionals predisposes them to be more inclined

to understand and accept messages when delivered by way of a specific communication medium.

Definition of Terms Used

The majority of terms used herein are commonly understood. The following terms may

need clarification to ensure the readers are correctly interpreting the intent of the author.

“Extroversion”, when capitalized within this paper, refers to the specific broad-based personality

trait identified within McCrae and Costa’s (1987) Five Factor model of personality

identification. The traits common to Extroversion are explained more fully in Chapter 2.

“Extroverts”, when capitalized, refers to individuals exhibiting high degrees of the traits common

to Extroversion as measured by a verified Five Factor model personality inventory. “Financial

services” refers to the industry which provides professional investment and financial planning

advice to individuals and institutions. “Advisor” is a term used in the financial services industry

to describe individuals who interact directly with clients. Advisors offer advice and wealth

planning services in exchange for a fee. Advisors are considered sales professionals.

Organization of Remaining Chapters

The Table of Contents contained earlier in this manuscript offers the overall organization

of the remaining chapters. Three chapters, however, contain subsections within the sections

listed in the Table. An explanation of the structure of these three chapters is offered here in an

effort to assist the reader in following the flow of the remainder of the research paper.

The literature review section of Chapter 2 is organized into subsections. The first

subsection discusses literature pertaining to the relationship between personality measures and

vocational fit. This section lays the foundation for the examination of common traits among sales

professionals. The next subsection discusses literature linking Extroversion with salesmanship.

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The third subsection covers literature discussing communication traits of Extroverts. The final

section of Chapter 2 introduces media richness and managerial preferences.

Chapter 3 explains the nature of the research conducted as a part of this thesis. The

Methodology section contains subsections to help organize the process used. The first subsection

discusses the solicitation and acquisition of participants. The second subsection discusses the

survey instruments used to collect data from participants.

Chapter 4 offers the analysis of collected data. The first subsection analyzes

Extroversion. The second subsection explores the relationship between Extroversion and

incoming messages. The final subsection describes the relationship between Extroversion and

outgoing messages.

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CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Philosophical Assumptions

Organizational communication is the subject of much research and study. Effective

communication can maintain an engaged and motivated workforce. In sales organizations,

keeping sales professionals focused and engaged leads to increased revenue, while distractions

yield revenue and productivity losses (Ahearne, Haumann, Krause, & Wieseke, 2013). A

positive relationship between managers and sales personnel aids sales outcomes (Loundsbury,

Foster, Levy, & Gibson, 2014). For leaders, building loyalty with sales professionals is key for

success (Monzani, Ripoll, & Peiró, 2014). Effective communication is the foundation on which

loyalty is built. Yet in many cases, the personality traits that seem to be present in sales

professionals also tend to lead to an extra sensitivity in how they perceive communication and

relationships. In particular, the mode of communication – or communication medium – is

important. Leaders who are charged with communicating with sales professionals should

recognize the impact medium choice has upon message reception. Choosing the appropriate way

in which to communicate is often as important as the words contained within the message.

Marshall McCluhan (1964) discussed the importance of choice of medium. McCluhan’s

coined phrase, “the medium is the message”, indicates just how important choice of

communication channel really is. The medium we choose tells the receiver the message behind

the words. Reliance on only one or two forms of communication damages social realities and

norms, and impoverishes literacy (McCluhan, 1964). Managers who are able to select the most

appropriate communication medium for each message are typically the most successful

communicators (Lengel & Daft, 1988). The words themselves are less important to

communication than the medium through which the words are conveyed.

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Theoretical Basis

Media richness theory categorizes different communication media by the depth of

information able to be conveyed (Griffin, 2012). Richness is determined by the number of cues

discernable, the ability to use a variety of language, the amount of personal focus, and the ability

to provide immediate feedback through multiple channels (Schiefelbein, 2012). Based on this

criterion, the richest medium is face-to-face communication. When communicating face-to-face,

participants use verbal and nonverbal cues, variations in tones of voice, and body language to

convey messages. Impersonal mass written communication would be the least rich. Selection of

the appropriate mode of communication can be instrumental in keeping sales professionals

engaged and productive. The medium itself can “enhance or distort the intended message”

(Lengel & Daft, 1988, p. 225).

Finding the right employees to fill key roles has long been a focus of hiring managers.

The personality of applicants is often given more weight by hiring managers than technical skills

or general intelligence (Sitser, van der Linden, & Born, 2013). Personality traits, when paired

with occupational requirements, create a match which can lead to improved performance and job

satisfaction. These traits can actually become more profoundly embedded in individuals

employed in an occupation requiring those traits (Wille & DeFruyt, 2014). Yet not all traits are a

universal fit for all roles. Sales roles specifically seem to attract individuals whose personality

characteristics fit sales roles, yet are a hindrance to success in other occupational roles. These

characteristics also tend to have implications as to the nature of successful communication.

A review of literature will first substantiate the link between vocational success and

personality traits as measured by the Five-Factor model (Barrick & Mount, 1991; Barrick,

Stewart, & Piotrowski, 2002; Costa, McCrae, & Holland, 1984; Wille & DeFruyt, 2014).

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Further, it will support the idea that one particular trait, Extroversion, is commonly tied to

success in sales roles. An additional literature examination will illustrate how this personality

trait impacts communication desires and expectations of sales professionals. Finally, modes of

communication and manager preferences will be examined. Each of these four key research

themes lead to the research questions examined in this thesis.

The Literature

Personality, Vocational Fit, and Five-Factor Model

When selecting employees for specific roles, hiring managers often place more emphasis

on personality than on technical skills or intelligence (Sitser, van der Linden, & Born, 2013).

Selecting an employee with the right personality traits is often more predictive of success and

satisfaction than a specific skill set. The match between personality and vocation is important.

Traits viewed as an asset for one occupation can prove to be a liability for another (Wille &

DeFruyt, 2014). Personality traits and occupational proficiency remain stable through adulthood,

which indicates the value of personality trait examination in determining appropriate vocations

(Costa, McCrae, & Holland, 1984; Wille & DeFruyt, 2014).

Measuring and identifying personality traits consistently has been the subject of much

research. The Five Factor Model (FFM) (McCrae & Costa, 1987) is a method which has been

frequently tested in research of vocational fit. McCrae and Costa identified and defined five

broad personality traits which describe virtually all normal personalities (Loundsbury, Foster,

Levy, & Gibson, 2014). These five traits, also called The Big Five, are Agreeableness,

Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Neuroticism, and Openness to Experience. Of these five,

Conscientiousness has consistently been cited as a dominant factor in success across virtually all

occupations (Barrick & Mount, 1991; Furnham & Fudge, 2008; Hurtz & Donovan, 2000; Sitser,

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van der Linden, and Born, 2013). This is not surprising, as conscientiousness is exemplified by

being “hardworking, ambitious, energetic, (and) persevering” (McCrae & Costa, 1987, p. 88).

Neuroticism is generally viewed as a negative indicator, meaning high levels of neuroticism were

seen as detriments to vocational success (Furnham & Fudge, 2008). Again, this finding is

understandable given the qualities associated with neuroticism: excessive worry, self-

consciousness, insecurity, anxiety, depression, and a pessimistic temperament (Barrick & Mount,

1991; McCrae & Costa, 1987). Agreeableness, or the ability and desire for community and

amity, proved to be important for those who work in close teaming situations. For sales

professionals, though, Extroversion has been shown as a primary predictor for success (Barrick

& Mount, 1991; Conte & Gintoft, 2005; Hurtz & Donovan, 2000; Oviedo-Garcia, 2007; Sitser,

van der Linden, and Born, 2013).

Extroversion and Sales Success

Barrick and Mount (1991) conducted a thorough meta-analytical study cross-referencing

personality traits and occupations. They found a correlation between high levels of Extroversion

and salesmanship. Hurtz and Donovan (2000) repeated the process, and added a factor for

supervisory ratings as a component to determine levels of success. Their findings were in line

with those of Barrick and Mount (1991), supporting the positive correlation between success in

sales and high levels of Extroversion. Extroversion was viewed as a fundamental differentiator

when using FFM for vocational acumen, pointing only to roles in sales or management (Hurtz &

Donovan, 2000). Furnham and Fudge (2008), however, found Extroversion to be mediated by

the type of products being sold. Brewer (2006) identified Extroversion as a quality present in

successful business people. McCrae and Costa (1987) referred to sales professionals as “the

prototypic extroverts” (p. 87).

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Extroversion is characterized by being “sociable, fun-loving, affectionate, friendly, (and)

talkative” (McCrae & Costa, 1987, p. 87). Extroverts are social beings. They crave social

contact, and want to be around others (Brewer, 2006). They value relationships, and see

communication as a conduit to build and nurture those relationships (Monzani, Ripoll, & Pieró,

2014).

Extroverts are also seen as dominant and active (Barrick & Mount, 1991). They tend to

initiate conversation and interaction, even when unfamiliar with the topic (Frederickx &

Hofmans, 2014). This dominance, though, is not an impediment to communicating with a fellow

Extrovert. Cuperman and Ickes (2009) found that the most effective dyadic teams consisted of

two Extroverts.

Extroverts are also viewed as being individualistic and autonomous, seeking satisfaction

of their own goals rather than those of a team or organization. In fact, Extroversion was the only

personality factor which was not associated with pro-social citizenship behavior (Chiaburu, Oh,

Berry, Li, & Gardner, 2011). This individualism serves sales professionals, who tend to require

an entrepreneurial spirit to succeed (Loundsbury, et. al, 2014). The combination of interaction

with the public and high levels of autonomy seem to make Extroversion a near necessity for

success in sales (Oviedo-Garcia, 2007).

In their investigation of motivation and the Five-Factor model, Barrick, Stewart, and

Pietrowski (2002) determined Extroverts are likely to be motivated by status and achievement.

Motivation for those high in agreeableness were more motivated by a sense of community and

belonging, whereas those high in conscientiousness were primarily motivated by a sense of

accomplishment. Performance was highest among Extroverts when mediated by status (Barrick,

Stewart, & Pietrowski, 2002). Sales roles tend to require the ability to change directions quickly,

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and to move from one project to another, referred to as “polychronicity”. Extroversion was the

only trait significantly related to polychronicity (Conte & Gintoft, 2005).

Communication and Extroversion

Extroverted individuals are conversation initiators, and engage in communication even if

the outcome might be negative (Frederickx & Hofmans, 2014). They tend to value relationships

where their opinions are heard and respected, and where they feel comfortable expressing those

opinions. They want to be heard, and tend to show more loyalty to leaders who they feel

genuinely listen to them (Monzani, Ripoll, & Pieró, 2014). The importance of the relationship to

Extroverts might explain some of their specific communication behaviors. Extroverts use

multiple forms of input for information gathering, including the non-verbal cues present

predominantly in face-to-face communication. When communicating, extroverted individuals

tend to be more physically expressive than introverted individuals, and they rely on receiving the

same physical cues from their communication partner (Brewer, 2006). These needs can most

easily be met by the richest communication medium: face-to-face communication. Less rich

media inhibit relationship-building (McDonnell, O’Neill, Kline, & Hambley, 2009), while face-

to-face communication aids relationship building (Sussman & Sproull, 1999). Communicating

using relationship-building media better fulfills the relational needs of extroverted individuals.

Media Richness and Managerial Preferences

Media richness is determined by the depth of interpersonal interaction it allows. It

measures the ability to create a shared experience (Daft, Lengel, & Trevino, 1987). Pentland

(2012) found that patterns, frequency, and richness of communication within teams contributed

more to team success than all other factors (“individual intelligence, personality, skill, and the

substance of discussions”) combined (Pentland, 2012, p. 62). Although Schiefelbein’s (2012)

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research involved distance learning and video conferencing, she found that using the richest

medium available led to higher satisfaction for all communicants. The richer the medium, the

more the communication experience is shared among participants. The three primary

communication media to be discussed herein are face-to-face, telephone, and direct and

personalized written.

Face-to-Face

Face-to-face interaction is considered the richest communication medium. In face-to-face

communication, participants are able to express themselves using verbal language and non-

verbal cues such as body language, gestures, facial expressions, tones of voice, and pace of

speech. Communication is interactive, with each participant afforded the opportunity to reply and

engage immediately, both verbally and non-verbally. Face-to-face communication also seems to

offer the most effective path to relationship development (Sussman & Sproull, 1999). Face-to-

face interaction appears to be the most effective medium in team problem solving (Chapanis,

Ochsman, Parrish, and Weeks, 1972). Hecht, Boster, and LaMer (1989) found that the ability to

read all cues, both from communication partners and the environment, and adapt accordingly is

important to effective listener-adapted communication. Although video conferencing comes

close to imitating face-to-face communication, it is not an equal substitute. The lack of proximity

insulates participants emotionally, and non-verbal cues outside camera range are lost. Face-to-

face stands alone as the richest medium.

Telephone Communication

Telephone communication allows for quick interaction and tone-of-voice input, but loses

visual cues. As such, it is considered a less rich medium than face-to-face. Pentland (2012) noted

that telephone communication becomes even less rich as more participants were added. As an

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example, a conference call with hundreds or thousands of active callers would be a less

conducive environment for immediate interaction than a conference call with five participants,

and therefore loses some of its richness.

Direct and Personalized Written Messages

Direct and personalized written communication, delivered either electronically or

physically, is lower on the richness scale. Written communication lacks the opportunity for

participants in the conversation to immediately interact. It also limits information by eliminating

non-verbal cues, including vocal variation. Pentland (2012) cited personalized written

communication, including email and text and instant messages, as the least valuable

communication medium for team interaction and problem solving. Email in particular enables

managers to communicate broad messages to an entire organizational unit quickly and

efficiently, however the messages lose richness as messages become more generic (Daft, Lengel,

& Trevino, 1987). Sussman and Sproull (1999), however, found email to be a valuable medium

choice for delivering negative news. A personalized email sent to a single recipient allowed the

sender to emotionally isolate themselves from the receiver, resulting in a message that was more

honest and clear, and less likely to be misinterpreted by the receiver (Sussman & Sproull, 1999).

In contrast, Lengel and Daft (1988) found that higher-level executives and those rated as

“successful” in performance evaluations were less likely to communicate challenging personal

messages using written medium.

The variety of communication media available to managers today offers opportunity and

presents challenges. Because of the importance of matching the appropriate medium with each

message, communication skill is believed to be the core competency for sales leaders

(Loundsbury, et.al., 2014). The highest performing managerial communicators are not those who

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have the best language skills, but those who can choose the right medium for the message (Daft

& Lengel, 1988). Top executives tend to rely on face-to-face communication for the majority of

complex messages, yet this tendency is not necessarily found in managers at lower levels (Daft,

Lengel, & Trevino, 1987). Managers reported higher levels of comfort and satisfaction when

communicating complex and personal messages using less rich media (Sussman & Sproull,

1999).

Rationale

Past research supports the position that sales professionals tend to exhibit higher levels of

Extroversion using McCrae and Costa’s (1987) Five-Factor model. The qualities of Extroversion

– talkativeness, need for relationship-building, sociability, and dominance – create certain

expectations and needs in communication. A specific expectation involves receiving information

by way of rich medium. These communication needs and expectations, when met, can help

maintain a high level of engagement and productivity in the sales force. Yet organizational

challenges such as extended geography and time constraints may cause leaders to choose less

rich media to communicate. Other leaders may choose to deliver difficult messages in writing to

ensure accuracy and emotional detachment. There is little research, however, that investigates

whether richness desires of extroverted employees translate directly into the creation of

organizational messages. Thus, this research intends to shed light on whether there is a

correlation between Extroversion and media richness desires. Further, the results could indicate

whether personality of the receiver should influence the message sender’s media choice. To

examine this issue, the following research questions are proposed.

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Research Questions

RQ1: Do individuals high in Extroversion indicate a preference for rich media when receiving

incoming information?

RQ2: Does the inclusion of a potential personal impact of the incoming information have an

impact on media richness preferences?

RQ3: What are the media-richness preferences of individuals with high levels of Extroversion

when they have information to impart to others?

RQ4: Do sales professionals tend to have higher levels of Extroversion than non-sales

professionals within a sales organization?

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CHAPTER 3 – SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY

Scope of the Study

Past research has focused on the vocational predictive value of personality measures

including the Five-Factor Model (McCrae & Costa, 1987). Researchers have attempted to

identify traits which may lead to success in a variety of roles, including sales professionals.

Communication patterns of managers have been examined. Yet there has been little research to

pair the two. In organizations striving to maximize profitability by keeping sales professionals

productive and focused, communication with sales professionals could hold the key. This

research could bring new focus to the importance of media choice, and shed light on the impact

of media choice on sales professionals.

The scope of this study focuses on employees in sales organizations primarily in the

financial services industry. While the goal is to determine whether sales professionals have

specific media richness expectations, employees in all roles were within the scope. Adding

participants in non-sales roles offers valuable comparison information which can examine

whether sales professionals have unique communication needs within an organization.

Additionally, although Extroversion was shown by prior research to be generally high among

sales professionals, it may also exist within employees fulfilling other organizational roles.

Examining all participants for levels of extroversion may help reinforce personality as mediating

factor in expectations of medium. The participants were gathered using a non-probability

solicitation method. All individuals who responded to the solicitation had an equal opportunity to

fully participate in the research study.

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Methodology

Participant Solicitation and Contact

An email was sent to prospective participants using an organization’s non-modified

global email distribution lists. Prefabricated distribution lists were used to avoid any possibility

of selectivity by the author. All respondents were offered the same opportunity to fully

participate, creating a randomization with the population. In addition, a request for participants

was posted to the author’s professional social media site, LinkedIn. The solicitation included a

brief description of the nature of the project, and requested participants to contact the author via

email. All prospective participants were sent an introductory email which included an

explanation of the nature of the project and information about how the collected data would be

used. Once informed of the nature of participation in the study, those who consented were

included in the population.

There were two delivery mechanisms used for distributing the surveys. Participants could

choose to complete the survey either electronically or manually. Those who elected to complete

the survey electronically received a link to a SurveyMonkey survey. Those who elected manual

completion received a three-page survey printed on paper. Both instruments asked identical

questions, and had identical options for each question. Formats were slightly different due to

limitations of the electronic survey tool. Both versions were tested prior to distribution to

subjects. Testers were asked to evaluate each for ease of completion and clarity of instructions.

Upon completion of the pre-testing, survey instruments were delivered to all participants.

Replicas of the paper version of the survey are attached as exhibits.

Survey Instrument

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The survey instrument itself consisted of three separate sections. The three sections

included a brief demographic survey, a Five-Factor Personality Inventory, and a media

preference questionnaire. Each of these sections is described in more detail below.

The demographic section asked basic questions to establish approximate age,

approximate length of service within their organization, and their role within the organization.

Except for the question of age, answers were selected from a list of preset ranges. Ranges were

used to provide consistency in answers. For those who indicated they occupied a sales role, the

participant was asked to select the range indicating his or her approximate prior-year sales

revenue. Each sales professional was asked to enter the range indicating his or her approximate

prior-year sales revenue. The purpose of obtaining this information was to apply a “successful”

rating to participants. The demographic questions are attached as Appendix A.

The BFI (Big Five Inventory) 44-question survey was used to determine levels of

Extroversion and the other four factors (John, Donahue, & Kentle, 1991). The survey contains 44

brief statements, and asks participants to respond to each by rating them on a five-point Likert

scale. The scale ranged from a low of 1 (Strongly Disagree) to a high of 5 (Strongly Agree).

Each statement asked participants to evaluate the level with which they agree or disagree with

statements like, “I am someone who does a thorough job” and “I am someone who can be

moody”. The complete 44-question instrument is attached as Appendix B.

The media preference section asked four questions about incoming messages and four

questions about outgoing messages. All questions asked the participants to select their first and

second preferences from the following media choices: in-person, face-to-face conversation;

telephone call; personal, addressed email; meeting or conference call; and written message with a

copy of all pertinent policy information. The questions asked the participants to decide how they

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would want to be informed of information pertaining to a variety of broad-based policy issues.

Two of the four questions pertained to information which may have an impact on the participant.

The other two questions were less personal in nature. This may help differentiate between

richness desires when the information is more personal.

The third section also contained four questions regarding outbound messages. Two

outbound messages were to clients or customers, and two messages were to peers or coworkers.

These questions hoped to test whether individuals high in Extroversion were more inclined to

deliver both positive and negative information by the richest available medium, and whether this

decision differed depending on the recipient. Questions regarding media preference are attached

as Appendix C.

Data Analysis

Analysis of the BFI questionnaire results was completed using John, Donahue, and

Kentle’s (1991) scoring instructions for version 4A of the Big Five Inventory. Numeric values

were assigned to each answer on the Likert scale. The 44 questions in the inventory contained

eight measuring Extroversion and Neuroticism, nine measuring Agreeableness and

Conscientiousness, and ten measuring Openness. The sums of the numeric values for each of the

Big Five traits are then averaged to obtain an overall score.

Analysis of the Media Richness section began by sorting all respondents by level of

Extroversion. The top 20 percent was considered “High Extroverts” (HE). The bottom 20 percent

was considered “Low Extroverts” (LE). The middle sixty percent was considered “Moderate

Extroverts” (ME). Media preferences were compiled and averaged for each category of incoming

and outgoing messages. Frequency of choices were examined by Extroversion level, age, gender,

and occupational role.

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CHAPTER 4 – THE STUDY

Introduction

Surveys were distributed to potential participants between the dates of February 29, 2016

and March 11, 2016. Data collection ended on March 12, 2016. A total of 102 surveys were

collected: 69 online versions and 33 paper versions. The initial review of surveys indicated two

online versions were invalid. The respondents on these two surveys answered the demographic

information only. These questionnaires were eliminated from the results. There were a total of

100 usable responses.

Of the valid respondents, 48 were male and 52 were female. The role delineation

consisted of 42 “Advisory/Sales” (34 male and eight female), 33 “Client Service/Sales Support”

(five male and 28 female), 18 “Management” (six male and twelve female), three

“Technical/Analytical” (two male and one female), and four “Other” (one male and three

female). The average age of all respondents was 47 years old. The youngest average-aged group

was “Technical/Analytical” at 33.75 years, followed by “Client Service/Sales Support” at 44.09

years, “Other” at 45.4 years, and “Management” at 48.94 years. “Advisory/Sales” roles had the

highest average age of 50.02 years old.

Responses to Section Two, The Big Five Inventory, were segregated for separate scoring.

This section consisted of responses (r) to forty-four questions. Eight responses measured

Extroversion (rE), nine responses measured Agreeableness (rA), nine responses measured

Conscientiousness (rC), eight responses measured Neuroticism (rN), and ten responses measured

Openness (rO). Sixteen of the forty four questions were considered “reverse-score” questions.

Responses to reverse score questions (R) were converted to r by subtracting the response from

six (r=6-R). Averages were calculated for each category of r by dividing the sums of rE, rA, rC,

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rN, and rO by the number of total questions answered for each trait. Eleven respondents failed to

complete all forty-four items. Because the scoring for this instrument is a simple non-weighted

average, the missing question was eliminated, and the denominator for the average was adjusted.

The average obtained is considered the overall score for each individual trait (sE, sA, etc.). To

maintain consistent scoring, a spreadsheet scoring template was constructed and used to score

each individual questionnaire.

All responses to the online questionnaire were downloaded into a spreadsheet using

SurveyMonkey’s downloading tool. The individual responses for the Big Five Inventory were

replaced by the score for each of the Big Five traits (sE, sA, sC, sN, and sO). Paper versions of

the questionnaire were first scored using the BFI scoring template. All responses and the

individual Big Five scores were manually added to the spreadsheet.

Results of the Study

Extroversion Levels

A primary focus for this research project is the impact of Extroversion on communication

and media preferences. Within the total population, Extroversion scores ranged from a high of

4.750 to a low of 1.875. The average Extroversion score for the entire population was 3.535.

Conscientiousness showed the highest average total score, followed by Agreeableness and

Openness. Only Neuroticism had a total average score lower than Extroversion. Within the

Advisory/Sales population, Extroversion ranged from a high of 4.750 to a low of 2.375, with a

mean of 3.758. Extroversion ranked as the third highest trait, behind Conscientiousness and

Agreeableness. Within the Client Service/Sales Support role, Extroversion ranked fourth behind

Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness. Total scores for each of the Big Five traits by

occupational role are summarized in Table 1.

20

Occupational Role sE sA sC sN sO

Advisory/Sales 3.7576 3.8703 3.9537 2.6190 3.5521

Client Service/Sales Support 3.2771 4.0774 4.1314 2.4356 3.4855

Management 3.5992 4.1667 4.1087 2.2966 3.5778

Technical/Analytical 3.2917 3.4073 4.0370 2.9167 3.8333

Other 3.2188 3.7778 3.9445 3.0313 3.6000

TOTAL POPULATION 3.5350 3.9744 4.0424 2.5259 3.5451

Table 1: Big Five Inventory Scores by Occupational Role

All responses were sorted by level of Extroversion, from highest to lowest. Appendix D

contains the entire population ranked by Extroversion score. The threshold for “High

Extroversion” (HE) was set by determining the top twenty percent of the population ranked by

sE. Using this method, HE threshold was set at 4.250. All respondents with sE greater than or

equal to 4.250 were considered HE (HE=(sE≥4.250)).. Similarly, the level for “Low

Extroversion” (LE) was determined by identifying the bottom twenty percent of the population

ranked by sE. The level for LE was set at those equal to or less than 2.875 (LE=(sE≤2.875)).

These levels were then applied to each population and the total population. Because the threshold

level fell within a group of respondents with that score, the application of this threshold resulted

in percentages slightly different than the initial twenty percent guide. To explain, the measure of

the top twenty scores fell at 4.250. Ten respondents showed an Extroversion score of 4.250. All

ten respondents were then considered to be “High Extroverts”, resulting in a total of twenty five

respondents (25%) attaining a “High Extrovert” rating. The following charts indicate the levels

of Extroversion among each occupational role. The categories of “Technical/Analytical” and

“Other” were statistically insignificant, having no respondents considered “High Extroverts”.

Charts are not included for these two categories.

21

Graph 1

Graph 2 Graph 3 Graph 4

As is seen in the above charts, the level of Moderate Extroversion is relatively consistent

across occupational roles, and this consistency is in line with the total population. There is a

difference, though, in the number of those considered “High Extroverts” (HE) and “Low

Extroverts” (LE). The total population, using our twenty percent markers, had HE of 25% and

LE of 20%. The levels of HE increases to 36% with Advisory/Sales roles, with only 9%

registering as LE. This is the highest level of HE among our three occupational roles. Client

Service/Sales Support showed the lowest level of HE. Advisory/Sales roles seem to have a

higher concentration of HE individuals than the other organizational roles tested.

When segregated by gender, males seemed more likely to be categorized as HE by almost

two times on a percentage basis (33% of males, 17% of females). Females were more than twice

as likely to be considered LE on a percentage basis (31% of females, 13% of males). The

25%

22%53%

EXTROVERSION LEVELS

Total Population

High Extroverts

Low Extroverts

Moderate Extroverts

36%

9%

55%

EXTROVERSION LEVELS

Advisory/Sales

High Extroverts

Low Extroverts

Moderate

Extroverts

15%

39%

46%

EXTROVERSION LEVELS

Client Service/Sales Support

High

ExtrovertsLow

ExtrovertsModerate

Extroverts

28%

17%

55%

EXTROVERSION LEVELS

Management

High Extroverts

Low Extroverts

Moderate

Extroverts

22

difference dissipated, though, within the Advisory/Sales role. When separated by gender,

respondents within the sales role had levels of Extroversion within just a few percentage points

of each other. Additionally, a slightly higher percentage of females in the Advisory/Sales role

showed HE. Extroversion was found in a significantly higher percentage of males in the Client

Service/Sales Support role. It is important to note, however, that there were only five

respondents who were male in the Client Service/Sales Support role. No respondents in

Technical/Analytical and Other roles were considered HE.

Gender Role HE LE ME Total

Male Advisory/Sales 12 3 19 34

Female Advisory/Sales 3 1 4 8

Male Service/Support 3 1 1 5

Female Service/Support 2 14 12 28

Male Management 1 1 4 6

Female Management 4 2 6 12

Male Technical/Analytical 0 1 1 2

Female Technical/Analytical 0 0 1 1

Male Other 0 0 1 1

Female Other 0 2 1 3 Table 2: Extroversion Levels by Gender and Occupational Role

Graph 5

High Low Moderate

Male 33% 13% 54%

Female 17% 31% 52%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

EXTROVERSION LEVELS

Total Population by Gender

23

Graph 6

Graph 7

Extroversion levels were also compared by age. A comparison by age was conducted to

evaluate whether age was more of a factor in Extroversion levels than occupational role. The

population was sorted by age, then divided into three groups: twenty to forty, between forty and

sixty, and sixty and over. The highest concentration by percentage of HE was in the over sixty

group, followed by the forty and under group. The middle age group most closely resembled the

initial breakdown to determine HE and LE (top 20% and bottom 20% of total population,

High Low Moderate

Male 35% 9% 56%

Female 38% 13% 50%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

EXTROVERSION LEVELS

Advisory/Sales by Gender

High Low Moderate

Male 60% 20% 20%

Female 7% 43% 50%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%

EXTROVERSION LEVELS

Client Service/Sales Support by Gender

24

respectively). The forty and younger age group also showed the highest percentage of LE, while

only one member of the over sixty age group measured LE (five percent).

Graph 8

Extroversion and Incoming Message Preferences

Section three of the questionnaire asked participants to select from a list of five

communication media. The five media choices varied in richness: face-to-face, telephone, email,

meeting or conference call, and non-personal written communication. Four separate scenarios

were presented for media selection. Two scenarios indicated specifically that it may have

personal impact. The other two scenarios did not have personal impact. Responses were analyzed

by calculating the percentages of respondents selecting each media type for the four scenarios.

Results based on levels of Extroversion were compared to results of selections by occupational

role and by age. Respondents were instructed on the definition of each of the five communication

medium. Face-to-face, telephone, and email were all personalized messages from their “direct

manager, or a person knowledgeable about the situation”. “Meeting” referred to a meeting or

conference call conducted by a “direct manager or a person knowledgeable about the situation”,

High Low Moderate

60 and Over 37% 5% 58%

40 - 60 20% 20% 59%

40 and Under 25% 34% 41%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

EXTROVERSION LEVELS BY AGE

25

and attended by a group of peers. “Written” communication referred to a non-customized or

individualized message suitable for delivery to a wide population. The tables which follow rank

the communication media in order of richness based on these definitions from left to right, with

the richest medium – face-to-face communication – holding the column to the left.

Total population results were considered the baseline. The tables below show the results

for each of the four message types, comparing extroversion levels against the baseline of total

population.

Face to Face Telephone Email Meeting Written

Total Population 55.7% 8.2% 3.1% 11.3% 21.6%

High Extroverts 44.0% 20.0% 4.0% 12.0% 20.0%

Low Extroverts 66.7% 4.8% 4.8% 9.5% 14.3% Table 3: Preferred Media for “Change to …compensation plan or pay grid” with impact



High Extroverts 72.0% 4.0% 16.0% 4.0% 4.0%

Low Extroverts 71.4% 4.8% 14.3% 9.5% 0% Table 4: Preferred Media for “Change to …staffing arrangement” with impact

.



High Extroverts 16.0% 0% 28.0% 32.0% 24.0%

Low Extroverts 4.8% 4.8% 33.3% 42.9% 14.3% Table 5: Preferred Media for “Change to organization’s senior management”

.



High Extroverts 0 0 33.3% 41.7% 25.0%

Low Extroverts 4.8% 4.8% 19.0% 42.9% 28.6% Table 6: Preferred Media for Information about organization’s annual performance

26

In the two scenarios indicating potential personal impact (compensation changes and

staffing changes), a lower percentage of HE participants selected the richest media than the total

population. There was only a nominal difference (.6%) in the selection of face-to-face separating

HE and LE participants in the staffing scenario. Only in the scenario of a change to senior

management did the HE participants more frequently select the richest medium.

The ratios change when looking at the top two media choices for each scenario. The

number of ratings of “1” or “2” for each of the five media options were totaled, then averaged by

the number of respondents in each population. Those in the HE population chose telephone – a

relatively rich communication medium – as a top preference at a higher percentage rate than both

LE and total population for messages of personal impact. In matters of compensation, though,

the HE population chose the richest medium – face to face – at a lower percentage than both LE

and the total population.

Graph 9

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

F2F Telephone Email Meeting Written

Top Two Media Choices - Compensation

Total Population High Extroverts Low Extroverts

27

Graph 10

Again using the total population as a baseline, selections were compared by occupational

role. The results followed a similar pattern to results by level of Extroversion, with

Advisory/Sales comparable to HE and Client Service/Sales Support comparable to LE.

Management, however, showed the highest level of desire for media richness. Differences in

media preference were less dramatic in the question of changes to senior management. Whereas

the HE population showed a significantly higher percentage selecting face-to-face

communication for changes to senior management, there was little difference in face-to-face

selection between occupational roles. While those identified with Advisory/Sales and Client

Service/Sales Support roles were relatively in line with the total population, those in

Management selected only the three least-rich media for information regarding annual

performance.



Advisory/Sales 51.2% 7.3% 4.9% 7.3% 29.3%

Client Service/Support 57.6% 3.0% 3.0% 18.2% 18.2%

Management 64.7% 17.6% 0% 5.9% 11.8% Table 7: Preferred Media for “Change to …compensation plan or pay grid” with impact

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

F2F Telephone Email Meeting Written

Top Two Media Choices - Staffing

Total Population High Extroverts Low Extroverts

28

.



Advisory/Sales 73.8% 7.1% 7.1% 9.5% 2.4%

Client Service/Support 72.7% 3.0% 12.1% 12.1% 0%

Management 72.2% 23.5% 5.9% 0% 0% Table 8: Preferred Media for “Change to …staffing arrangement” with impact

.



Advisory/Sales 7.1% 0% 47.6% 23.8% 21.4%


Management 5.6% 5.6% 16.7% 38.9% 33.3% Table 9: Preferred Media for “Change to organization’s senior management”

.



Advisory/Sales 7.3% 2.4% 36.6% 24.4% 29.3%


Management 0% 0% 23.5% 29.4% 47.1% Table 10: Preferred Media for Information about organization’s annual performance

Extroversion and Outgoing Message Preferences

The final section of the questionnaire asked respondents to select their preferred

communication medium and their typical communication medium for positive messages and

negative messages to customers or clients and to peers or coworkers. Responses were analyzed

by calculating the percentages of respondents selecting each media type for these eight messages.

Results based on levels of Extroversion for each message were compared to results of selections

by occupational role and by age. In each comparison, the percentages for the total population

was considered as a baseline.

29

Within the total population and within each scenario, the choice of preferred medium

reflected the richest selections: face-to-face and telephone. In fact, over 90% of respondents

indicated a preference for either face-to-face or telephone communication in all four scenarios. In

typical situations, however, the communication medium selection cooled. Negative news had a

higher likelihood of richer media use than positive news.

Respondents rated as HE showed a higher likelihood of selecting rich media than the total

population, while LE-rated respondents showed a lower likelihood of selecting rich media. There

was a significant difference in media preference between HE and LE, as is shown in Table 11.

The LE respondents opted to communicate negative information in writing, either by letter or

email. Specifically, with negative client information 13.6% of LE respondents preferred to write

a letter, with 9.1% preferring to use email. The preferred mode of communicating negative peer

or coworker information by the LE population was 9.1% email and 4.5% by letter. In actuality,

though, the LE population did not communicate these messages by letter at all, showing an

increase in email use to 13.6% for negative client information and 18.2% for negative peer

information.

Negative Client Positive Client Negative Peer Positive Peer

Total Population 90.9% 93.9% 94.0% 91.0%

High Extroverts 92.0% 96.0% 96.0% 88.0%

Low Extroverts 77.3% 86.4% 86.4% 90.9% Table 11: Total of Face to Face and Telephone Elections as Preferred Media for Outgoing Communication

30

Graph 11

Within role delineation, Advisory/Sales selected face-to-face as the preferred method of

communication in both positive and negative client interactions at a significantly higher rate than

Client Service/Sales Support and Management. The percentages declined in peer communication

preferences. Management roles seemed to have the highest overall selection of rich media, with

the exception of typical style for client communication, where Management was surpassed by

Advisory/Sales roles.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Total Population High Extrovert Low Extrovert

Composite Face To Face and Telephone Preferred Usage

Negative Client Positive Client Negative Peer Positive Peer

31

Graph 12

Graph 13

Neg Client Pos Client Neg Peer Pos Peer

Advisory/Sales 73.2% 53.7% 85.7% 69.0%

Service/Support 45.5% 30.3% 81.8% 75.8%

Management 50.0% 33.3% 88.9% 83.3%


0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

100.0%

Face To Face Preferred Choice by Role


Advisory/Sales 38.1% 21.4% 85.7% 71.4%

Service/Support 16.7% 5.6% 72.2% 55.6%

Management 16.7% 5.6% 72.2% 55.6%


0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

Face To Face Typical Choice by Role

32

Graph 14

Graph 15

Age differences showed a higher adoption rate of less rich media among the younger age

group. Within the over sixty demographic, there were no reported instances of preference for

media other than telephone or face to face when communicating with clients. Within this same


Advisory/Sales 92.7% 90.2% 92.9% 81.0%

Service/Support 87.9% 97.0% 93.9% 100.0%

Management 94.4% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%


0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

120.0%

Composite Rich Media - Preferred Choice by Role


Advisory/Sales 97.6% 90.5% 88.1% 78.6%

Service/Support 90.9% 90.9% 81.8% 84.8%

Management 88.9% 88.9% 100.0% 100.0%


0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

120.0%

Composite Rich Media - Typical Choice by Role

33

age group, there were no instances of either preferring to or typically communicating by video

conference or by letter. Email showed mild instances of preference for communicating positive

news to a peer, and minor instances of being typically used for positive client and peer, and

negative peer communication. The vast majority of communication within this age group was

face to face or telephonic. Email increased in prevalence within the forty to sixty age group.

While still relatively low in usage, email had a presence in all eight types of communication. The

most significant difference was found in the twenty to forty age group. Use of the richest media

ranged from a low of 71% (Typical Positive Peer message) to a high of 90.3% (Preferred

Positive Peer). This demographic also seemed to prefer using less rich media to communicate

Negative Client information.

Preferred Negative

Client

Preferred Positive

Client

Preferred Negative

Peer Preferred Positive Peer

>60 40 - 60 20 - 40 >60 40 - 60 20 - 40 >60 40 - 60 20 - 40 >60 40 - 60 20 - 40

In Person 68.4% 59.2% 46.7% 47.4% 40.8% 36.7% 94.7% 85.7% 77.4% 78.9% 71.4% 77.4%

Telephone 31.6% 36.7% 30.0% 52.6% 55.1% 53.3% 5.3% 12.2% 6.5% 15.8% 20.4% 12.9%

Email 0.0% 4.1% 6.7% 0.0% 4.1% 6.7% 0.0% 2.0% 12.9% 5.3% 8.2% 9.7%

Letter 0.0% 0.0% 13.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 3.2% 3.2% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

Video 0.0% 0.0% 3.3% 0.0% 0.0% 3.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

Table 12: Outgoing Preferred Media Preferences by Age

Typical Negative Client Typical Positive Client Typical Negative Peer Typical Positive Peer

>60 40 - 60 20 - 40 >60 40 - 60 20 - 40 >60 40 - 60 20 - 40 >60 40 - 60 20 - 40

In Person 31.6% 26.5% 9.7% 15.8% 16.3% 9.7% 84.2% 71.4% 64.5% 78.9% 57.1% 58.1%

Telephone 68.4% 67.3% 74.2% 78.9% 73.5% 67.7% 10.5% 18.4% 16.1% 10.5% 30.6% 12.9%

Email 0.0% 4.1% 9.7% 5.3% 10.2% 19.4% 5.3% 10.2% 19.4% 10.5% 12.2% 25.8%

Letter 0.0% 2.0% 6.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

Video 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 3.2% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 3.2%

Table 13: Outgoing Typical Media Preferences by Age

Discussion

The purpose of this study was examine the relationship between Extroversion levels and

communication media preferences for incoming and outgoing messages, and whether the

potential for personal impact of the subject to be communicated influences media richness needs.

34

This study also sought to test prior research findings regarding elevated levels of Extroversion

among sales professionals when compared to other occupational roles. The overall findings

indicated a stronger relationship between media richness desires and Extroversion levels on

outgoing messages than on incoming messages. The findings also indicate a consistent desire for

rich media when communicating information of potential personal impact, regardless of

Extroversion levels. This finding lends support to Lengel and Daft’s (1988) findings of the

importance of selecting the richest medium available for messages of personal impact.

Extroversion, however, seemed to play less of a role in richness desirability for incoming

information. This finding was unexpected, and inconsistent with the researcher’s initial

supposition. Further, the data gathered seem to support prior findings of elevated Extroversion

levels among sales professionals when compared to non-sales professionals. Additional details of

each of these findings and their impact on prior research and theory follows.

Extroversion Levels

Within the Big Five construct, Conscientiousness ranked as the trait with highest average

score within the population. This was expected, as prior research indicates Conscientiousness as

the single trait required for occupational success (Barrick & Mount, 1991; Furnham & Fudge,

2008; Hurtz & Donovan, 2000; Sitser, van der Linden, & Born, 2003). Within our population,

Advisory/Sales roles seemed to show the highest average scores for Extroversion.

Advisory/Sales was the only occupational role to indicate elevated levels of Extroversion. This

finding supports prior research on occupational role and sales success (Barrick & Mount, 1991;

Conte & Gintoft, 2005; Hurtz & Donovan, 2000; Oviedo-Garcia, 2007; Sitser, van der Linden,

and Born, 2013). Additionally, though, the sales population showed the lowest level of

individuals categorized as Low Extroverts. When taken together, the lack of low extroverted

35

individuals in sales roles seems to intensify the desirability of Extroversion-related traits within

sales roles.

Within the sales role, there was little difference in Extroversion scores between male and

female. Gender, therefore, does not seem to influence Extroversion levels within the sales

population. Higher levels of Extroversion within the over sixty population is likely explained by

the higher average age of sales professionals. Sales professionals may work to an older age than

those in management or client service. This finding would explain inflated levels of Extroversion

among the older population.

Only those in Management roles exhibited Extroversion levels higher than the total

population. This could in part be attributed to successful sales professionals transitioning into

management roles. It could also indicate that managers, because of the interaction required by

their role, must exhibit behaviors common to Extroversion.

Extroversion and Incoming Message Preferences

The findings within the incoming messages section were unexpected. Issues of staffing

showed the highest level of preference for face-to-face communication, and it was virtually the

same regardless of level of Extroversion. Low Extroverts were just as likely to expect face-to-

face communication regarding staffing issues as High Extroverts. While it might seem to be a

fair assumption that since those in support staff roles were lower in Extroversion, they would

have the most interest in staffing changes, the data does not support this assumption. Perhaps

staffing issues generated the highest desire for rich media because of the impact of staffing

decisions on interpersonal relationships. If an existing positive relationship is threatened by

staffing changes, the interaction offered by the rich medium of face-to-face communication may

be more desirable. Low Extroverts were also more likely to expect face-to-face communication

36

regarding compensation changes. When examining responses to the same questions by

occupational role, those in sales roles had the highest percentage of wanting face-to-face

communication regarding staffing issues. Those in Client Service/Sales Support showed the

highest level of expectation of face-to-face communication only on the question of changes to

senior management within the organization. It would appear, then, that Extroversion itself has no

correlation to media richness in incoming messages. This finding gives a broader support to

media richness theory in that it becomes more applicable across personality types, occupations,

ages, and gender. Communication media choice seems to be of significant importance to the

nature of the message itself. This supports McLuhan’s (1964) identification of the medium

choice itself communicating a message to the receiver of information.

Extroversion and Outgoing Message Preferences

Extroversion does, however, seem to have a positive correlation to media selection for

outgoing messages. Those individuals rated highest in Extroversion seemed to be more likely to

select a rich media for communicating both positive and negative messages to peers and

customers. This finding is reinforced by the media choices of those scoring low in Extroversion.

Low Extroverts seemed significantly less likely to select rich media to communicate all

messages except positive messages to co-workers or peers. These differences seemed less

dramatic when comparing message preferences by role and by age, which supports Extroversion

as the relational variable. Prior research characterizes Extroverts as cravers of social interaction

(Brewer, 2006; McCrae & Costa, 1987; Monzani, Ripoll, & Pieró, 2014). This characteristic

seems to be supported by the findings in this study. Participants high in Extroversion preferred

communication media which offered the most opportunity for social interaction. Individuals low

in Extroversion would seek a communication medium which shelters them from actual

37

interaction. There are two factors at work in this observation. The first is the desire for social

interaction. Extroverts thrive on social encounters, while introverts (Low Extroversion) are

uncomfortable in social encounters. The second factor is the initiation of encounters. High

Extroverts were more likely to initiate interactions than Low Extroverts regardless of whether the

information was positive or negative (Frederickx & Hofmans, 2014; Sussman & Sproull, 1999).

The choice of less interactive media by Introverts can be viewed as a hesitation in initiating

interaction.

38

CHAPTER 5 – SUMMARIES AND CONCLUSIONS

Limitations of the Study

This study has some limitations. One primary limitation is the sample size. While the

sample population of 100 was acceptable, it is still relatively small. The data and analysis may

not be sufficient to draw generalized opinions as to the impact of Extroversion on

communication preferences. A larger and more diverse population would have added increased

validity to the results. Additionally, the number of participants responding as Managers,

Technical/Analytical, and Other were very small. With only eighteen managers responding, the

analysis cannot be considered as indicative of any particular traits or preferences. Respondents

identifying themselves as “Technical/Analytical” and “Other” were so small their responses

could not be measured in any meaningful way in the analyses by occupational role.

Another limitation is industry concentration. The majority of participants were from the

financial services industry. While the participants were primarily in the retail-sales segment of

this industry, by nature financial services are atypical sales constructs. Offices in this field tend

to deal with high net worth individuals and organizations, offering financial planning and

intangible assets. It is possible that Extroversion levels are specific to roles within this industry,

and do not translate into other sales organizations.

The majority of respondents came from a non-geographically diverse population. While

there were individual volunteers from Massachusetts, California, Florida, North Carolina, and

New York, the greatest majority of responses were from Kentucky, Tennessee, and West

Virginia. Although it cannot be determined which volunteers actually completed a survey, the

sample population is likely to show a concentration within mid-America. No geographic

questions were asked in the demographic section. No comparisons were able to be made based

39

on geographic location. It is possible that regional and cultural differences could influence media

choices.

Because a non-probability sample was used, it may be difficult to apply the results to the

population of sales professionals as a whole.

Calculation of levels considered high and low in Extroversion was based on responses

contained within the study population. The calculated levels for High Extroversion and Low

Extroversion may not be comparable to levels considered high and low within a larger

population, or with those populations of other studies using the same Big Five Inventory

instrument.

Recommendations for Further Study

Findings of outbound messages across age should be examined more closely. It could not

be determined if the differences in media preferences by age was a training and comfort issue or

a true preference for warmer media. A study over time of a consistent population might shed

light on whether media choices change with age, or if the choice of telephone and in person

media within the older population is related to the relatively recent advent of electronic media.

It would also be of interest to determine if richer-media choices by certain demographics

within this population was driven by desires of the client. There were no demographic questions

in the survey instrument to identify average age or media sophistication of the co-communicant

for the test population. It is possible that the changes between the preferred media for outgoing

messages and the typical media for outgoing messages were caused not by desires or abilities of

the sender, but by desires and expectations of the receiver. The sales professionals may have

preferred to communicate by telephone, but their clients may prefer communication by email.

40

The survey question regarding staffing changes resulted in the highest level of

expectation for communication by way of rich media. The responses in favor of telephone or in-

person communication surpassed that of compensation changes. Future research could

investigate the nature of communication media desires with questions other than staffing and

compensation.

Conclusions

A compilation and analysis of prior research indicated a common thread of Extroversion

among sales professionals, and a desire among those high in Extroversion for communication by

way of the richest available communication medium. The purpose of this thesis was to determine

if data supported these indications. An analysis of the data gathered offered only partial support

of the assumptions drawn from past research. While the data did indicate a commonality of

higher levels of Extroversion among sales professionals than among other occupational roles,

these Extroversion levels did not appear to impact media richness desires for incoming messages.

Extroversion levels do seem to have a correlation with choice of medium for outbound

messaging. Managers of sales professionals should bear this in mind, and offer opportunities for

ample “face time” for their salesforce.

Although the findings of this research were not fully as expected, the link between

personality and communication desires remains an important variable worthy of examination.

The more that can be learned of expectations and desires of co-communicants, the more

effectively messages can be created and conveyed. Through increasing the understanding of how

different types of people interpret words and media, individuals and organizations can better

design communication strategies.

41

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45

APPENDIX A: Section 1 – Demographic Information

Please provide an answer to each question:

1. What is your current age? __________________

2. What is your gender?

Male

Female

3. Which choice most closely describes your current role within your organization?

Client Service/Sales Support

Advisory/Sales

Management

Technical/Analytical

Other

4. How long have you been in your current occupational role?

< 5 years

5 – 10 years

11 – 15 years

16 – 20 years

21 – 25 years

> 25 years

5. FOR ADVISORY/SALES ROLES ONLY: Which range reflects your current annual sales

revenue?

< 250,000

250,000 – 500,000

500,001 – 750,000

750,001 – 1,000,000

> 1,000,000

46

APPENDIX B: Section 2 – Personality Trait Inventory

Here are a number of characteristics that may or may not apply to you. For example, do you agree that you are someone who likes to spend time with others? Please write a number next to each statement to indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with that statement.

Strongly Disagree

1

Disagree 2

Neither Agree Nor Disagree

3

Agree 4

Strongly Agree

5 I see myself as someone who……

______ 1. Is talkative ______ 23. Tends to be lazy

______ 2. Tends to find fault with others ______ 24. Is emotionally stable, not easily upset

______ 3. Does a thorough job ______ 25. Is inventive

______ 4. Is depressed, blue ______ 26. Has an assertive personality

______ 5. Is original, comes up with new ideas ______ 27. Can be cold and aloof

______ 6. Is reserved ______ 28. Perseveres until the task is finished

______ 7. Is helpful and unselfish with others ______ 29. Can be moody

______ 8. Can be somewhat careless ______ 30. Values artistic, aesthetic experiences

______ 9. Is relaxed, handles stress well ______ 31. Is sometimes shy, inhibited

______ 10. Is curious about many different things ______ 32. Is considerate and kind to almost everyone

______ 11. Is full of energy ______ 33. Does things efficiently

______ 12. Starts quarrels with others ______ 34. Remains calm in tense situations

______ 13. Is a reliable worker ______ 35. Prefers work that is routine

______ 14. Can be tense ______ 36. Is outgoing, sociable

______ 15. Is ingenious, a deep thinker ______ 37. Is sometimes rude to others

______ 16. Generates a lot of enthusiasm ______ 38. Makes plans and follows through with them

______ 17. Has a forgiving nature ______ 39. Gets nervous easily

______ 18. Tends to be disorganized ______ 40. Likes to reflect, play with ideas

______ 19. Worries a lot ______ 41. Has few artistic interests

______ 20. Has an active imagination ______ 42. Likes to cooperate with others

______ 21. Tends to be quiet ______ 43. Is easily distracted

______ 22. Is generally trusting ______ 44. Is sophisticated in art, music, or literature

47

APPENDIX C: Section 3 - Media Preferences

Please refer to these definitions of communication methods:

“In-Person Conversation” means a face-to-face conversation with your direct manager, or a person knowledgeable about the situation. “Personal Telephone Call” means a telephone call to you alone from your direct manager, or a person knowledgeable about the situation. “Personal Email” means an email addressed only to you from your direct manager, or a person knowledgeable about the situation. “Meeting or Conference Call” means an in-person meeting or a conference telephone call including you and your peers, led by your direct manager or a person knowledgeable about the situation. “Written Detailed Explanation” means a written communication suitable for delivery to all impacted people, with any appropriate documents attached.

INSTRUCTIONS: This section contains four types of messages. As you read each message type, think about the way in which you would most like to receive the message. For each message, mark your preferred method – the way in which you would MOST like to receive the information – with the number one (1), and your next preferred method with a number two (2).

Message In-Person

Conversation

Personal Telephone

Call

Personal Email

Meeting or Conference

Call

Written Detailed

Explanation

A change to your organization’s compensation plan or pay grade, which may impact you.

A change to a staffing arrangement within your office, which may impact you.

A change to your organization’s senior management structure.

Information regarding your organization’s overall annual performance.

When communicating with others, please indicate how you would want to communicate each of these message types (Choose only one).

Message In-Person

Conversation Video

Conference Telephone

Call Personal

Email Letter or

Memo

Negative news to a client or customer Positive news to a client or customer Negative news to a co-worker or peer Positive news to a co-worker or peer

When communicating with others, please indicate how you typically (most often) communicate each of these message types (Choose only one).

Message In-Person

Conversation Video

Conference Telephone

Call Personal

Email Letter or

Memo

Negative news to a client or customer Positive news to a client or customer Negative news to a co-worker or peer Positive news to a co-worker or peer

48

APPENDIX D: Participants with Big Five Inventory Scores

Resp. Age Gender Role sE sA sC sN sO

P1 31 Male Advisory/Sales 4.750 4.444 3.222 2.125 3.500


P14 51 Female Client Service/Sales Support 4.750 4.111 4.667 1.625 3.400

O64 36 Female Management 4.750 4.111 3.889 2.500 3.300

O11 36 Male Advisory/Sales 4.625 4.444 4.444 2.875 2.800





P3 45 Female Advisory/Sales 4.375 4.333 3.556 3.000 4.000

p32 72 Male Advisory/Sales 4.375 4.556 4.111 1.375 3.900

O27 33 Male Client Service/Sales Support 4.375 4.222 4.000 1.250 4.500

O31 57 Female Client Service/Sales Support 4.375 4.778 4.556 1.875 3.100


O23 58 Male Management 4.286 4.000 4.111 1.500 4.200


O34 40 Female Advisory/Sales 4.250 4.222 4.000 2.500 3.100







P13 32 Male Client Service/Sales Support 4.250 3.778 3.889 2.375 3.300

















49



P18 47 Male Client Service/Sales Support 3.750 4.556 4.222 1.750 3.900


O40 60 Female Retired 3.750 3.444 3.667 3.250 3.300

P26 56 Female Technical/Analytical 3.750 3.889 4.000 3.000 3.800













O16 31 Male Technical/Analytical 3.500 3.000 4.111 2.625 4.600







P27 45 Male Other 3.375 3.667 3.333 3.375 3.400






O1 39 Female Owner 3.250 3.889 5.000 2.750 4.600












50








O5 24 Male Technical/Analytical 2.625 3.333 4.000 3.125 3.100




O2 24 Female Teacher 2.500 4.111 3.778 2.750 3.100

P20 Female Advisory/Sales 2.375 3.778 5.000 2.250 3.800







O42 59 Male Retired

O3 24 Male Technical/Analytical

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