Understanding Personality PDF

TH2014 Understanding Your Personality What is Personality? Personality refers to individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and...

TH2014 Understanding Your Personality What is Personality? Personality refers to individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. The word personality itself stems from the Latin word persona, which referred to a theatrical mask worn by performers to either project different roles or disguise their identities (American Psychological Association, n.d.). There are two (2) broad areas of personality: Understanding individual differences in a particular personality characteristic, such as sociability or irritability Understanding how the various parts of a person come together as a whole Other definitions of personality from different psychologists are the following (Cherry, 2019): “Personality is a pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to a person’s behavior”. – Feist and Feist, 2009 “That which permits a prediction of what a person will do in a given situation”. -Raymond B. Cattell, 1950 “The distinctive patterns of behavior (including thoughts, as well as ‘affects,’ that is, feelings, and emotions and actions) that characterize each individual enduringly.” – Walter Mischel, 1999 Fundamental Characteristics of Personality The following are the fundamental characteristics of personality (Cherry, 2019): Consistency: There is generally a recognizable order and regularity to behaviors. Essentially, people act in the same ways or similar ways in a variety of situations. Psychological and physiological: Personality is a psychological construct, but research suggests that it is also influenced by biological processes and needs. It impacts behaviors and actions: Personality does not just influence how we move and respond in our environment; it also causes us to act in certain ways. Multiple expressions: Personality is displayed in more than just a behavior. It can also be seen in our thoughts, feelings, close relationships, and other social interactions. Personality and Behavior Personality indicates the stable self of an individual, which makes him unique and different from all others. From a person’s personality, one can predict his behavior in each situation. This is what makes everyone different from each other in terms of understanding and behavior patterns. Personality is usually divided into components known as the Five Personality Model (Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, Openness to experience, and Extraversion). An individual genetics’ or environment may play a vital role in making him what he is. Behavior, on the other hand, defines a person’s conduct and is learned over the years. The way a person expresses his emotions reveals his behavior. One’s behavior is temporary, unlike the personality which is permanent. People take personality everywhere they go but their behavior depends on the kind of environment they are in. What’s the difference between personality and behavior? Personality defines you, while behavior defines your reaction in a setting. A person starts developing his personality at a very early age, though his behavior is determined by his mood in a situation, as well as being influenced by his morals. (TheyDiffer.com, n.d.) 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 1 of 5  TH2014 A person’s personality lies in his mind, will, energies, heart, and consistency, whereas behavior is what he displays externally. Personality is natural and behavior is self-constructed. The following presents the comparison of personality and behavior. Personality Behavior An individual’s essential characteristics The way someone organizes his thinking and contribute to his overall personality. actions defines his behavior. Personality remains stable. Behavior keeps changing depending upon age and intelligence. It is permanent. It is temporary and situation-based. Personality can be evaluated by Behavior cannot be judged according to observing someone’s behavior. someone’s personality. Personality is what you are as a person. Behavior is how you express yourself. Personality relates only to humans. Behavior can relate to humans, animals, etc. Five (5) Personality Model One’s personality is a complicated system of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that describe how one interacts with others. Throughout the past century, psychologists and personality researchers have worked to try and simplify personality’s complexity by suggesting most people can fit into a certain category that generally captures their preferences (Cherry, 2019). Personality psychology seeks to understand the differences between personality traits and devise systems to scientifically evaluate them (John & Srivastava, 1999). One of the more popular and recognized systems is called The Big Five that covers these five “core” personality traits (Cherry, 2019): OPENNESS This trait features characteristics such as imagination and insight. People who are high in this trait also tend to have a broad range of interests. They are curious about the world and other people and eager to learn new things and new experiences. People who are high in this trait tend to be more adventurous and creative. People low in this trait are often much more traditional and may struggle with abstract thinking. High Low Very Creative Dislikes Change Open to trying new things Does not enjoy new things Focused on tackling new challenges Resists new ideas Happy to think about abstract concepts Not very imaginative Dislikes abstract or other theoretical concepts CONSCIENTIOUSNESS Standard features of this dimension include high levels of thoughtfulness, good impulse control, and goal-directed behaviors. Highly conscientious people tend to be organized and mindful of details. They plan, think about how their behavior affects others, and are mindful of deadlines. 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 2 of 5  TH2014 High Low Spends time preparing Dislikes structure and schedules Finishes important tasks right away Makes messes and doesn’t take care of things Pays attention to detail Fails to return things or put them back to where they belong Enjoys having a set schedule Procrastinates important tasks Fails to complete necessary or assigned tasks EXTRAVERSION Extraversion (or extroversion) is characterized by excitability, sociability, talkativeness, assertiveness, and a high amount of emotional expressiveness. People who are high in extraversion are outgoing and tend to gain energy in social situations. Being around other people helps them feel energized and excited. People who are low in extraversion (or introverted) tend to be more reserved and have less energy to expend in social settings. Social events can feel draining and introverts often require a period of solitude and quiet to “recharge”. High Low Enjoys being the center of attention Prefers solitude Likes to start conversations Feels exhausted when having to socialize a lot Enjoys meeting new people Finds it difficult to start conversations Has a wide social circle of friends and Dislikes making small talks acquaintances Carefully thinks things through before speaking Finds it easy to make new friends Dislikes being the center of attention Feels energized when around other people Say things before thinking about them AGREEABLENESS This personality dimension includes attributes such as trust, altruism, kindness, affection, and other prosocial behaviors. People who are high in agreeableness tend to be more cooperative while those low in this trait tend to be more competitive and sometimes even more manipulative. High Low Has a great deal of interest in other Takes little interest in others people Cares about others Doesn’t care about how other people feel Feels empathy and concern for other Has little interest in other people’s problem people Enjoys helping and contributing to the Insults and belittles others happiness of other people Assist others who need help Manipulates others to get what they want 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 3 of 5  TH2014 NEUROTICISM Neuroticism is a trait characterized by sadness, moodiness, and emotional instability. Individuals who are high in this trait tend to experience mood swings, anxiety, irritability, and sadness. Those low in this trait tend to be more stable and emotionally resilient. High Low Experiences a lot of stress Emotionally stable Worries about many different things Deals with stress Get upset easily Rarely feels sad or depressed Experiences dramatic shift in mood Doesn’t worry much Feels anxious Is very relaxed Struggles to bounce back after stressful events ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Details below will be used only for the activity. Recommendation OCEAN High Low Openness Continue helping others. However, Be more of a team-player. make sure that they can still work Consider the feelings of other independently and will learn from you. people and try to see things in another perspective. Conscientiousness Organizational skill is essential in any Carefully think of decisions/actions industry. Keep it up and keep on being you are going to make. motivated. It is a characteristic of a Do not procrastinate. Set achievable great leader. deadlines and reward yourself after meeting it. Extraversion Confidence is an advantage in any Participate more in company industry. However, make sure not to be activities and interact with overconfident. unfamiliar people. Be humble and kind to others. Loosen up and enjoy the moment. Do not overthink and make the most out of the moment. Agreeableness Continue helping others. However, Be more of a team-player. make sure that they can still work Consider the feelings of other independently and will learn from you. people and try to see things in another perspective. Neuroticism Talk to others regarding how you feel. If Emotional stability is a great needed, you may consult with a advantage in any industry. If specialist to help you cope with what possible, help those who are in you are dealing with. need and be their inspiration to be better at work. 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 4 of 5  TH2014 If stressed or frustrated, stop what you are doing and do the things you love until you can get back to work. OCEAN in the workplace OPENNESS HIGH SCORE INDICATE WORKPLACE BEHAVIOR EFFECTS More creativity Higher job satisfaction More flexibility Easily adaptable More eagerness to learn Strong leadership skills CONSCIENTIOUSNESS HIGH SCORE INDICATE WORKPLACE BEHAVIOR EFFECTS More effort Better job performance More drive Inherent leadership ability Better discipline and organization Less likely to leave EXTROVERSION HIGH SCORE INDICATE WORKPLACE BEHAVIOR EFFECTS Easily relates to other Better job performance More emotional Strong leadership skills Dominates socially Less likely to leave AGREEABLENESS HIGH SCORE INDICATE WORKPLACE BEHAVIOR EFFECTS More likely to comply with rules and Higher job performance regulations Better on-the-job behavior Easier to like and admire NEUROTICISM HIGH SCORE INDICATE WORKPLACE BEHAVIOR EFFECTS May think negatively Lower job satisfaction May express negative emotions Higher stress level References: Cherry, K. (October 14, 2019). The Big Five Personality Traits. In Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/the-big-five-personality-dimensions- 2795422 Cherry, K. (November 3, 2019). What is Personality and Why does it matter? In Very Well Mind. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/what- is-personality-2795416 on February 26, 2020. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Personality. https://www.apa.org/topics/personality/ Florida Tech. (n.d.). How the big fie personality traits influence work behavior. Retrieved from https://www.floridatechonline.com/blog/business/how- the-big-five-personality-traits-influence-work-behavior/ They Differ. (n.d.). Difference between Personality and Behavior. https://theydiffer.com/difference-between-personality-and-behavior/ 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 5 of 5