“DETERMINANTS OF PERSONALITY”

FINAL DRAFT SUBMITTED IN THE PARTIAL FULFILENT OF THE COURSE

TITLED-
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

Submitted by: Submitted to:

AMISHA PRAKASH Ms kirti
ROLL NO:2005 (3rd Semester)
B.B.A .LL.B,CNLU,PATNA
Academic session-2018-2023

CHANAKYA NATIONAL LAW UNIERSITY

Nyaya Nagar ,Mithapur,Patna 80001
DECLARATION BY THE CANDIDATE

I hereby declare that the work reported in the B.B.A. LL.B (Hons.) Project Report entitle
“DETERMINANTS OF PERSONALITY” Submitted at Chanakya National Law University,
Patna is an authentic record of my work carried out under the supervision of Ms kirti .I have not
submitted this work elsewhere for any other degree or diploma. I am fully responsible for the
contents of my Project Report.

(Signature of the Candidate)

AMISHA PRAKASH
Chanakya National Law University, Patna
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Any project completed or done in isolation is unthinkable. This project, although prepared by
me, is a culmination of efforts of a lot of people. Firstly, I would like to thank our Professor Ms
kirti for, helping me in making the project on Importance of Custom and Usage under Hindu
Law for her valuable suggestions towards the making of this project.
Further to that, I would also like to express my gratitude towards our seniors who did a lot of
help for the completion of this project. The contributions made by my classmates and friends are,
definitely, worth mentioning.
I would like to express my gratitude towards the library staff for their help also. I would also like
to thank the persons asked for help by me without whose support this project would not have
been completed.
I would like to express my gratitude towards the Almighty for obvious reasons. Moreover,
thanks to all those who helped me in any way be it words, presence, Encouragement or blessings.
Contents
1.) Introduction................................................................................................................................3
2) Personality and OB......................................................................................................................5
3)History of the Term......................................................................................................................6
4) Definition of personality.............................................................................................................6
5) Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory Of Personality...........................................................7
6) Erik Ekikson’s Theory Of Psychosocial Development.............................................................10
7) Determinants of Personality......................................................................................................14
7.1.) Environmental Factors of Personality:..............................................................................14
ii) Identification Process............................................................................................................14
7. 2.) Biological Factors of Personality.....................................................................................14
7.3.) Situational Factors of Personality......................................................................................15
7.4) Cultural Factors..................................................................................................................15
7.5) People We Interact With....................................................................................................16
7.6) Experiences in Life.............................................................................................................16
7.7)Family Background.............................................................................................................16
8) Role of Personality at Workplace..............................................................................................17
9) Big Five Dimensions of Personality Traits...............................................................................17
9) Conclusion.................................................................................................................................22
1.) Introduction
Mahatma Gandhi says, “A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.”
A man what he becomes is the result of his personality. Personality is the original personal
property of a man. It cannot be shared even with your dearest one. It even cannot be willed. It
makes a person unique. It is part of what makes each individual distinct. In a sense, we can
compare personality with perfume. Personality to a man is same as perfume to a flower. Perfume
brings uniqueness to a flower while personality brings individuality to a person. Personality
represents how a person takes the world. It shapes one’s behavior. If we want to theaterize one’s
thoughts and views we must realize his/her behavior. So, i f we want to better understand the
behavior of someone in an organization, it helps if we know something about his or her
personality. Because all types of personality are not suitable for all positions in organizations. It
is also personality that leads us to act in a constant and predictable manner both in different
situations and over total periods of time.
Personality, as we know it, is defined as the characteristics or qualities of a person that makes
him different from other people. We usually use personality to describe ourselves or others. It
could refer to a person’s physical, mental or social aspects. A major way to know and understand
ourselves is to determine what kind of personality we possess. Typically, we form personality
judgments about the people we know and they do the same for us. In this way, we get to know
more about ourselves through how they perceive or know us. It seems that personality is just a
simple concept, but in reality it is very complex. Hence, defining and understanding it is not easy
as it appears.

Determining our personality is very important. When we apply for jobs, our personality is an
essential factor that affects the possibility that we will be hired on the job that we are applying
for. Managers and employers uses different tools to measure our personalities. One direct way to
measure are personality is simply through observation. Various personality tests are also use to
measure our personality. Another tool is popularly known as the Myers-Briggs Type indicator
which focuses on the five major dimensions of personality – extraversion, agreeableness,
conscientiousness, openness to experience, and neuroticism. The managers and employers then
uses the information they collected to determine if we are compatible with the job that we are
applying for.

However, personality is developed throughout a person’s lifetime, so it cannot be easily changed.

There are times that we find it difficult to adapt with certain situations because of our
personality. Additionally, understanding the concept of personality is not enough in making us
better individuals. It is only one of the factors that will contribute to our success. Sometimes,
even if we are fully aware of our personality, we are still unable to choose the correct career
paths since there are other external factors that can limit our decisions.

The role of personality is important in our organizational life because the way we think and
behave can affect many aspects in our workplace. Our personality can influence our behavior in
groups, and our ability to make decisions. When a problem arises, we naturally face it based
upon our personal values, beliefs and traits. Placing individuals in jobs that are most compatible
to them raises their level of satisfaction and motivation. It can also improve the overall
performance of the organization because the employees are happy and satisfied on what they are
doing. For example, a person who is sociable, friendly and prefers activities that involves helping
others will want to work as a social worker, counselor, teacher or other jobs that are compatible
with his/her personality. As the saying goes, “find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in
your life”.
2) Personality and OB
Personality factors are extremely important in organizational settings. Often the ‘wrong’ kind of
personality proves disastrous and causes undesirable tensions and worries in organizations. The
costs of such tensions and worries are enormous when we interpret them from the point of view
of employee-employer relations, peer relations and superior-subordinate relations. Sometimes,
the personality difficulties are the root cause of organizational conflicts and often lead to
turnover and job dissatisfaction. A consideration of personality differences of focal persons is
important for at least three reasons.

Some people arouse hostility and aggression in their associates, while others invoke sympathy
and supportive responses because of their personality features. Likewise, some people encourage
and others discourage free and open communication in view of their personality traits as
perceived by their subordinates and associates; Personality characteristics tend to produce
differential emotional reactions to stress. Some people tolerate severely stressful situations, while
tensions and anxieties and similar circumstances swamp others. Individual personalities lead to
individual differences in styles of coping with stress. When exposed to tension producing
situations, some people tend to be problem oriented, others happen to deal with the emotional
experience which the stress arouses in them rather than with the determinants of the experience.
Still others tend to deal with derivative problems, which may be created by their efforts to cope
with the stress. They may happen to project hostility on to others and thus make easier guilt-free
aggression against them. The dangers inherent in such a hostile counter attack are obvious. Thus,
it appears personality character very significantly from the standpoint of human relations and
organizational behaviour.1

Everyday in conversation we hear such statements as “he has no personality at all.” If we analyze
such usages, we discover that the phrase a lot of personality refers to the physical appearance of
the individual, especially on initial contact: “A poor personality” ordinarily indicates that the
person has characteristics not approved of generally. The term “no personality” is saved for the
“run-of -the-mill” individual who is little noticed by others.

The unique ways of responding to day-to-day life situations is at the heart of human behaviour.
Accordingly, personality embraces all the unique traits and patterns of adjustment of the
individual in his relationship with others and his environment.2

1
https://www.wisenepali.com/2017/09/personality-in-ob-characteristics.html
2
https://iedunote.com/organizational-behavior
3)History of the Term
The word “personality” has been traced back by etymologists to the Latin word “per” and
“sonare”. The term “per sonare” means, “to sound through.” The word persona derives from
these two words and originally meant an actor’s mask, through which the sound of his voice was
projected. Later persona was used, to mean not the mask itself but the false appearance, which
the mask created. Still later it came to mean the characters in the play (dramatics personae).

It is interesting to note that the word “personality” by derivation should mean, “what an
individual only appears to be, not what he really is.” This meaning is almost the exact opposite
of what the word means in modern psychology.

We find that to some extent personality is defined in terms of a specific theoretical frame of
reference. However, most psychologists agree generally with Allport’s definition, in which
personality is “the dynamic organization within the individual of those psycho-physical systems
that determine his unique adjustments to his environment”.

About a decade after Allport’s formulation R. W. White’s simplified it by substituting

“tendencies” for “psycho-physical systems.” White’s definition states that “personality is the
organization of an individual’s “personal pattern of tendencies.”3

4) Definition of personality
Behavior involves a complex set of interactions of the person and the situation. Events in the
surrounding environment (including presence and behaviour of others) strongly influence the
way people behave at any particular time; yet people always bring something of their own to the
situation. This ‘something’, which is unique is what is personality.

A well-known personality theorist Salvatore Maddi proposed the following definition of

personality:

“ Personality is a stable set of characteristics and tendencies that determine those commonalities
and differences in the psychological behavior (thoughts, feelings and actions) of people that have

3
https://www.wilderdom.com/personality/L5-1WhatIsPersonality.html
continuity in time and that may not be easily understood as the sole result of the social and
biological pressures of the moment.”4

This definition contains three important ideas.

First, the definition does not limit the influence of personality only to certain behaviors, certain
situations or certain people. Rather, personality theory is a general theory of behaviour – an
attempt to understand or describe all behaviours all the time.

Second, the phrase “commonalities and differences” suggests an important aspect of human
beings. In certain respects, every person is like All other people Some other people; and No
other person

This each employee in an organization is unique and may or may not respond as others do in a
particular situation. This complexity makes managing and working with people extremely
challenging. Therefore, to understand, predict and control behaviour, it is important to study
personality.

Finally, Maddi’s definition refers to personality as being ‘stable’ and having continuity in time.
If your entire personality could change suddenly and dramatically, your family and friends would
meet a stranger. Personality development occurs to a certain extent throughout life, but the
greatest changes occur in early childhood.

5) Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory Of Personality

Personality is composed of three elements. These three elements of personality--known
as the id, the ego and the superego--work together to create complex human behaviors.
5

The Id

The id is the only component of personality that is present from birth. This aspect of
personality is entirely unconscious and includes of the instinctive and primitive
behaviors. According to Freud, the id is the source of all psychic energy, making it the
primary component of personality.

4
https://www.wisdomjobs.com/e-university/organisational-behaviour-tutorial-362/what-is-personality-12186.html
5
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-psychology/chapter/psychodynamic-perspectives-on-personality/
The id is driven by the pleasure principle, which strives for immediate gratification of
all desires, wants, and needs. If these needs are not satisfied immediately, the result is a
state anxiety or tension. For example, an increase in hunger or thirst should produce an
immediate attempt to eat or drink. The id is very important early in life, because it
ensures that an infants needs are met. If the infant is hungry or uncomfortable, he or she
will cry until the demands of the id are met.

However, immediately satisfying these needs is not always realistic or even possible. If
we were ruled entirely by the pleasure principle, we might find ourselves grabbing
things we want out of other people's hands to satisfy our own cravings. This sort of
behavior would be both disruptive and socially unacceptable. According to Freud, the
id tries to resolve the tension created by the pleasure principle through the primary
process, which involves forming a mental image of the desired object as a way of
satisfying the need. 6

The Ego

The ego is the component of personality that is responsible for dealing with reality.
According to Freud, the ego develops from the id and ensures that the impulses of the
id can be expressed in a manner acceptable in the real world. The ego functions in both
the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious mind.

The ego operates based on the reality principle, which strives to satisfy the id's desires
in realistic and socially appropriate ways. The reality principle weighs the costs and
benefits of an action before deciding to act upon or abandon impulses. In many cases,
the id's impulses can be satisfied through a process of delayed gratification--the ego will
eventually allow the behavior, but only in the appropriate time and place.

6
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-id-2795275
The ego also discharges tension created by unmet impulses through the secondary
process, in which the ego tries to find an object in the real world that matches the
mental image created by the id's primary process. 7

The Superego

The last component of personality to develop is the superego. The superego is the
aspect of personality that holds all of our internalized moral standards and ideals that
we acquire from both parents and society--our sense of right and wrong. The superego
provides guidelines for making judgments. According to Freud, the superego begins to
emerge at around age five.
There are two parts of the superego:

1. The ego ideal includes the rules and standards for good behaviors. These
behaviors include those which are approved of by parental and other authority
figures. Obeying these rules leads to feelings of pride, value, and accomplishment.
2. The conscience includes information about things that are viewed as bad by
parents and society. These behaviors are often forbidden and lead to bad
consequences, punishments, or feelings of guilt and remorse.

The superego acts to perfect and civilize our behavior. It works to suppress all
unacceptable urges of the id and struggles to make the ego act upon idealistic standards
rather that upon realistic principles. The superego is present in the conscious,
preconscious, and unconscious. 8

The Interaction of the Id, Ego, and Superego

With so many competing forces, it is easy to see how conflict might arise between the
id, ego, and superego. Freud used the term ego strength to refer to the ego's ability to
function despite these dueling forces. A person with good ego strength is able to
7
https://www.verywellmind.com/the-id-ego-and-superego-2795951
8
https://www.thoughtco.com/id-ego-and-superego-4582342
effectively manage these pressures, while those with too much or too little ego strength
can become too unyielding or too disrupting.

According to Freud, the key to a healthy personality is a balance between the id, the
ego, and the superego.9
6) Erik Ekikson’s Theory Of Psychosocial Development is one of the best-known
theories of personality in psychology. Much like Sigmund Freud, Erikson believed that
personality develops in a series of stages. Unlike Freud’s theory of psychosexual stages,
Erikson’s theory describes the impact of social experience across the whole lifespan.
One of the main elements of Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory is the develoment of
ego identity. Ego identity is the conscious sense of self that we develop through social
interaction. According to Erikson, our ego identity is constantly changing due to new
experience and information we acquire in our daily interactions with others. In addition
to ego identity, Erikson also believed that a sense of competence also motivates
behaviors and actions. Each stage in Erikson’s theory is concerned with becoming
competent in an area of life. If the stage is handled well, the person will feel a sense of
mastery, which he sometimes referred to as ego strength or ego quality. If the stage is
managed poorly, the person will emerge with a sense of inadequacy.
In each stage, Erikson believed people experience a conflict that serves as a turning
point in development. In Erikson’s view, these conflicts are centered on either
developing a psychological quality or failing to develop that quality. During these
times, the potential for personal growth is high, but so is the potential for failure. 10

Psychosocial Stage 1 - Trust vs. Mistrust

 The first stage of Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development occurs between birth
and one year of age and is the most fundamental stage in life.
9
https://socratic.org/questions/how-do-the-id-ego-and-superego-interact
10
https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html
 Because an infant is utterly dependent, the development of trust is based on the
dependability and quality of the child’s caregivers.
 If a child successfully develops trust, he or she will feel safe and secure in the world.
Caregivers who are inconsistent, emotionally unavailable, or rejecting contribute to
feelings of mistrust in the children they care for. Failure to develop trust will result
in fear and a belief that the world is inconsistent and unpredictable. 11

Psychosocial Stage 2 - Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

 The second stage of Erikson's theory of psychosocial development takes place

during early childhood and is focused on children developing a greater sense of
personal control.2
 Like Freud, Erikson believed that toilet training was a vital part of this process.
However, Erikson's reasoning was quite different then that of Freud's. Erikson
believe that learning to control one’s body functions leads to a feeling of control and
a sense of independence.
 Other important events include gaining more control over food choices, toy
preferences, and clothing selection.
 Children who successfully complete this stage feel secure and confident, while those
who do not are left with a sense of inadequacy and self-doubt. 12

Psychosocial Stage 3 - Initiative vs. Guilt

 During the preschool years, children begin to assert their power and control over the
world through directing play and other social interaction.
 Children who are successful at this stage feel capable and able to lead others. Those
who fail to acquire these skills are left with a sense of guilt, self-doubt and lack of
initiative.13

11
https://www.verywellmind.com/trust-versus-mistrust-2795741
12
https://www.verywellmind.com/autonomy-versus-shame-and-doubt-2795733
13
https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/guilt/initiative-vs-guilt-a-stage-of-psychosocial-development/
Psychosocial Stage 4 - Industry vs. Inferiority

 This stage covers the early school years from approximately age 5 to 11.
 Through social interactions, children begin to develop a sense of pride in their
accomplishments and abilities.
 Children who are encouraged and commended by parents and teachers develop a
feeling of competence and belief in their skills. Those who receive little or no
encouragement from parents, teachers, or peers will doubt their ability to be
successful.

Psychosocial Stage 5 - Identity vs. Confusion

 During adolescence, children are exploring their independence and developing a

sense of self.
 Those who receive proper encouragement and reinforcement through personal
exploration will emerge from this stage with a strong sense of self and a feeling of
independence and control. Those who remain unsure of their beliefs and desires will
insecure and confused about themselves and the future.14

Psychosocial Stage 6 - Intimacy vs. Isolation

 This stage covers the period of early adulthood when people are exploring personal
relationships.
 Erikson believed it was vital that people develop close, committed relationships
with other people. Those who are successful at this step will develop relationships
that are committed and secure.
 Remember that each step builds on skills learned in previous steps. Erikson believed
that a strong sense of personal identity was important to developing intimate
relationships. Studies have demonstrated that those with a poor sense of self tend to

14
https://www.verywellmind.com/identity-versus-confusion-2795735
 have less committed relationships and are more likely to suffer emotional isolation,
loneliness, and depression.15

Psychosocial Stage 7 - Generativity vs. Stagnation

 During adulthood, we continue to build our lives, focusing on our career and family.
 Those who are successful during this phase will feel that they are contributing to the
world by being active in their home and community. Those who fail to attain this
skill will feel unproductive and uninvolved in the world.16

Psychosocial Stage 8 - Integrity vs. Despair

 This phase occurs during old age and is focused on reflecting back on life.
 Those who are unsuccessful during this phase will feel that their life has been
wasted and will experience many regrets. The individual will be left with feelings of
bitterness and despair.
 Those who feel proud of their accomplishments will feel a sense of integrity.
Successfully completing this phase means looking back with few regrets and a
general feeling of satisfaction. These individuals will attain wisdom, even when
confronting death.17

7) Determinants of Personality
Every person has a different personality and there are a lot of factors which contribute to that
personality. We call them the determinants of personality‘ or the factors of personality’.

These determinants and factors of personality can belong to very different categories. Earlier, the
major debate was primarily between the heredity and environmental factors. Many psychologists
believe that the environment, in which an individual lives in, forms his personality. On the other
hand, some psychologists used to debate that personality is predetermined at the time of birth –
which means that it is hereditary. Actually, it appears that both the environmental and heredity

15
https://www.verywellmind.com/intimacy-versus-isolation-2795739
16
https://www.verywellmind.com/generativity-versus-stagnation-2795734
17
https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Human_Development/Map%3A_Lifespan_Development_-
_A_Psychological_Perspective_(Lally_and_Valentine-French)/9%3A_Late_Adulthood/9.17%3A_Erikson_-
_Integrity_vs._Despair
factors contribute as the important determinants and factors of personality. There are various
determinants of personality and these have been categorized indifferent ways.18

7.1.) Environmental Factors of Personality: The environment that an individual lives in has a
major impact on his personality. The culture and environment establish attitudes, values, norms
and perceptions in an individual. Based on the cultures and traditions, different senses of right
and wrong are formed in individuals. These environmental factors also include the
neighbourhood a person lives in, his school, college, university and workplace. Moreover, it also
counts the social circle the individual has. Friends, parents, colleagues, co-workers and bosses,
everybody plays a role as the determinants of personality.

i) Socialisation Process: The contribution of family and social group in combination with the
culture is knows as socialisation. In the words of Mussen ― Socialisation is the process by
which an individual infant acquires, from the enormously wide range of behavioural potentials
that are open to him at birth, those behaviour patterns that are customary and accepted according
to the standards of his family and social group. It initially starts with the contact with mother and
later on the other members of the family and the social group plays influential role in shaping an
individual‘ personality.

ii) Identification Process: Identification process occurs when a person tries to identify himself
with some person whom he feels ideal in the family. Generally a child in the family tries to
behave like his father or mother. The identification process can be examined from three different
perspectives. First, identification can be viewed as the similarity of behaviour (including feelings
and attitudes) between child and model. Second, identification can be looked as the child‘s
motives or desires to be like the model. Third, it can be viewed as the process through which the
child actually takes on the attributes of the model.19

7. 2.) Biological Factors of Personality:

In its simplest form, biological components strongly determine our physical characteristics such
as eye color, height, hair color, body type, and general looks. Even if biology plays no direct
role in our personality, the way we look certainly affects how we see ourselves and how others
interact with us. This indirect affect does, at minimum, play a role in how we develop and who
we are as adults.
i) Heredity Factors of Personality: The heredity factors play a very important role as the major
determinants and factors of personality. Heredity factors are the ones that are determined at the
time of conception. These factors not only affect the physical features of a person, but the
intelligence level, attentiveness, gender, temperament, various inherited diseases and energy
level, all get affected by them. The example of how heredity factors determine such a huge and
significant part of an individual‘s personality can easily be observed in children. Many children
behave exactly how their parents do. Similarly, twin siblings also have a lot of things in
common.
18
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/personality/personality-meaning-and-determinants-of-personality/24336
19
https://www.owlgen.com/question/what-are-the-environmental-factor-of-personality-development
ii) Physical Features: Just as environmental factors, there are many physical factors as well that
determine your personality. These physical factors include the overall physical structure of a
person: his height, weight, colour, sex, beauty and body language, etc. An individual‘s
personality can change over time.
Physical factors are one of the major reasons of that. Most of the physical structures change from
time to time, and so does the personality. With exercises, cosmetics and surgeries etc. many
physical features are changed, and therefore, the personality of the individual also evolves.
iii) Brain: Another biological factor that influences personality is the role of brain of an
individual. Though some promising inroads are made by researchers, the psychologists are
unable to prove empirically the contribution of human brain in influencing personality.
Preliminary results from the electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB) research gives indication
that better understanding of human personality and behaviour might come from the study of the
brain.20
7.3.) Situational Factors of Personality: Although these factors do not literally create and shape
up an individual‘s personality, situational factors do alter a person‘s behaviour and response
from time to time. The situational factors can be commonly observed when a person behaves
contrastingly and exhibits different traits and characteristics. For example, a person‘s behaviour
will be totally different when he is in his office, in front of his boss, when compared to his
hangout with old friends in a bar. In this way, situational factors impact a personality in a
significant way. They often bring out the traits of a person that are not commonly seen.21
7.4) Cultural Factors: Culture is traditionally considered as the major determinants of an
individual‘s personality. The culture largely determinants what a person is and what a person
will learn. The culture within a person is brought up, is very important determinant of behaviour
of a person. Culture is complex of these belief, values, and techniques for dealing with the
environment which are shared among contemporaries and transmitted by one generation to the
next. Culture required both conformity and acceptance from its members. There are several ways
of ensuring that members comply with the dictates of the culture. The personality of an
individual to a marked extended determined by the culture in which he is brought up. According
to Mussen each culture expects, and trains, its members to behave in the ways that are acceptable
to the group. In spite of the importance of the culture of the culture on personality, researchers
were unable to establish linear relationship between these two concepts personality and
culture.22
7.5) People We Interact With
"A Person is known by the company he or she keeps" is a common adage. The implication is that
people persuade each other and tends to associate with members who are more like them in their
attitudes and values. Beginning childhood, the people we interact with influence us. Primarily
our, parents and siblings, then our teachers and class mates, later our friends and colleagues, and
so on. The influence of these various individuals and groups shapes our personality. For.
Instance, if we are to be accepted as members of our work group, we have to conform to the
20
https://www.owlgen.com/question/what-are-the-biological-factor-of-personality-development
21
https://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Situational+Factors+
%28also+Known+As+External+Factors%29
22
https://familydoctor.org/social-cultural-factors-can-influence-health/
values of that group which mayor may not always be palatable to us; if we don't, we will not be
treated as valued members of the group. Our desire to be a part of the group and belong to it as
its member, will
compel many of us to change certain aspects of our personality (for instance, we may have to
become less aggressive, more cooperative, etc.). Thus, our personality becomes shaped
throughout our lives by at least some of the people and groups we interact with.23
7.6) Experiences in Life
Whether one trusts or mistrusts others, is miserly or generous, have a high or low self esteem and
the like, is at least partially related to the past experiences the individual has had. Imagine if
someone came to you and pleaded with you to lend him Rs. 100 which he promised to return in a
week's time, and you gave it to him even though it was the last note you had in your pocket to
cover the expenses for the rest of that month. Suppose that the individual never again showed his
face to you and you have not been able to get hold of him for the past three months. Suppose also
that three such incidents happened to you with three different individuals in the past few months.
What is the probability that you would trust another person who comes and asks you for a loan
tomorrow? Rather low, one would think. Thus, certain personality characteristics are moulded by
frequently occurring positive or negative experiences in life.24
7.7)Family Background
The socio-economic status of the family, the number of children in the family and birth order,
and the background and education of the parents and extended members of the family such as
uncles and aunts, influence the shaping of personality to a considerable extent. 25
First-borns usually have different experiences, during childhood than those born later; Members
in the family mold the character of all children, almost from birth, in several ways -by expressing
and expecting their children to conform to their own values, through role modeling, and through
various reinforcement strategies such as rewards and punishments which are judiciously
dispensed.26

8) Role of Personality at Workplace

Workplaces are dictated not only by policies but also the personalities of employees. Trying to
stifle personality can result in disgruntled and frustrated employees. When managers understand
the role of personality in the workplace, they can use it to grow the company and move it
forward.

 Creativity A person's ability to think creatively stems from her personality.

Brainstorming sessions and one-on-one idea exchanges with employees can help spark
creativity. When employees are allowed to apply their creativity to solving company
issues, the company benefits from a wider variety of ideas and options. Managers must
maintain control over creativity, however, to prevent aggressive personalities from
23
https://owlcation.com/social-sciences/PERSONALITY-DETERMINANTS
24
http://www.climerconsulting.com/experiences-shape-lives/
25
Mussen, P.H. Conger,J.J.; & Kagan, J. (1974). Child development and Personality. New York : Harper & Row
26
https://www.sociologyguide.com/personality/determinants-of-personality.php
 dominating. Policies regarding the submission of ideas can help keep aggressive
personalities in check while still benefiting from their creativity forward to challenges.
By gauging employee personalities, you can better match employees with job duties.
 Retention Appealing to an employee's individual personality can help increase job
satisfaction and reduce employee turnover. For example, rather than assume that all
employees welcome challenges, you should talk with them to gauge their feelings on job
duties. Some employees might prefer routine jobs with few changes or surprises, while
others might look forward to challenges. By gauging employee personalities, you can
better match employees with job duties.
 Teamwork Some people are not inclined to work well in a team. They are strongly
independent, or they prefer to follow their own set of instructions. These personality
traits are important to discover in the interview process through written tests and
personal discussions. Hiring someone who does not value teamwork can significantly
hinder a work team's progress.
 Production Some people are just not motivated and cannot be motivated. When their
personal productivity drops and they are consistently behind on deadlines, they drag
down their department and the company as a whole. This also causes resentment and
frustration among staffers who are forced to work harder to make up for the drop in
productivity. They may even slow down their own productivity if the uninspired
employee is kept on at the company. A general drop in morale will occur.27

9) Big Five Dimensions of Personality Traits

Human personality varies from person to person. Different characteristics that describe an
individual’s behavior are called personality traits. Personality researchers have proposed that
there are five basic dimensions of personality. These five dimensions are called Big Five Model.
The "big five" are broad categories of personality traits. These dimensions represent broad areas
of personality. Personality is a complex and varied and each person may display behaviors across
several of these dimensions.28

These are given below:

 Openness to experience
 Conscientiousness
 Extraversion
 Agreeableness , and
 Neuroticism

27
https://www.globsyn.edu.in/gbs_blog/2018/11/22/importance-of-personality-at-workplace/
28
https://www.123test.com/big-five-personality-theory/
These scales are commonly alternatively represented and remembered by the OCEAN acronym.

The description of these five dimensions has been given below:

 Openness to Experience: This trait features characteristics such as imagination,

sensitivity and curiosity, insight, and those high in this trait also tend to have a broad
range of interests. Externally open people are creative, curious and artistically sensitive.
Those at the other end of this category are controversial and find comfort in the familiar.

“Openness is a general appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas,

imagination, curiosity, and variety of experience. The trait distinguishes imaginative
people from down-to-earth, conventional people. People who are open to experience are
intellectually curious, appreciative of art, and sensitive to beauty. They tend to be,
compared to closed people, more creative and more aware of their feelings. They are
more likely to hold unconventional beliefs. People who are less on openness tend to have
more conventional, traditional interests. They prefer the plain, straightforward, and
obvious over the complex, ambiguous, and subtle. They may regard the arts and sciences
with suspicion or even view these endeavors as uninteresting.”

 Conscientiousness: Common features of this dimension include high levels of

thoughtfulness, with good impulse control and goal-directed behaviors. People who are
high in conscientiousness tend to be organized and mindful of details. A highly
conscientious person responsible, organized, dependable and determined. Those who are
less in this dimension are distracted, disorganized and unreliable. These people are self-
discipline, dutiful to their works, and they aim for achievement. The trait shows a
preference for planned rather than spontaneous behavior. It influences the way in which
we control, regulate, and direct our impulses.
“Conscientiousness is a tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for
achievement. This trait shows a preference for planned rather than spontaneous
behavior. Conscientious individuals achieve high levels of success through purposeful
planning and persistence. They are also regarded by others as responsible and reliable.
They can become compulsive perfectionists and workaholics. In a learning environment
 the benefits of being conscientious are clear. A person who is more conscientious and
plans his/her work and practices self-discipline will be more likely to succeed. Those
people are focused and aware of the work that needs to get done and do it in a timely and
efficient manner. Teachers would generally describe conscientious students as the
responsible students.” 29

 Extraversion: The broad dimension of Extraversion encompasses such more specific

traits as talkative, energetic, and assertive. This trait also includes characteristics such as
excitability, sociability, and high amounts of emotional expressiveness. It captures one’s
comfort level with relationships with other persons. The opposite word of extraversion is
being introvert. The people who are introverts are reserved, apprehensive and quiet.

“Extraversion is characterized by positive emotions, and the tendency to seek out

stimulation and the company of others. The trait is marked by pronounced engagement
with the external world. Extraverts enjoy being with people, and are often perceived as
full of energy. They tend to be enthusiastic, action-oriented individuals who are likely to
say "Yes!" or "Let's go!" to opportunities for excitement. In groups they like to talk,
assert themselves, and draw attention to themselves. Introverts lack the social
exuberance and activity levels of extraverts. They tend to seem quiet, low-key, deliberate,
and less involved in the social world. Their lack of social involvement should not be
interpreted as shyness or depression. Introverts simply need less stimulation than
extraverts and more time alone. They may be very active and energetic, simply not
socially.”30

 Agreeableness: It includes traits like sympathetic, kind, and affectionate. It refers an

individual’s propensity to defer to others. Highly agreeable people are cooperative, warm
and trusting. The opposite characteristics are being cold, disagreeable, and aggressive.

29
https://www.psychologistworld.com/influence-personality/conscientiousness-personality-trait
30
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-extroversion-2795994
 “Agreeableness is a tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious
and antagonistic towards others. The trait reflects individual differences in general
concern for social harmony. They are generally considerate, friendly, generous, helpful,
and willing to compromise their interests with others. Agreeable people also have an
optimistic view of human nature. They believe people are basically honest, decent, and
trustworthy. Disagreeable individuals place self-interest above getting along with others.
They are generally unconcerned with others’ well-being, and are less likely to extend
themselves for other people. Sometimes their skepticism about others’ motives causes
them to be suspicious, unfriendly, and uncooperative.” 31

 Neuroticism: It includes traits like tense, moody, and anxious. Individuals high in this
trait tend to experience emotional instability, anxiety, moodiness, irritability, and sadness.

“Neuroticism is the tendency to experience negative emotions, such as anger, depression,

or anxiety. Those who score high in neuroticism are highly reactive in stressful
situations. They are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening or minor
situations as too difficult or as impossible. In a learning environment those highly
neurotic people have a harder time adjusting to stressful situations. When presented with
a difficult situation or a problem that they don't know how to figure out, they just break
down rather than being able to handle the situation. They also get angry easily and don't
know what they are angry at, themselves, the homework, the teacher, etc.32

Those who are highly in neuroticism are emotionally reactive and vulnerable to stress.
They are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and minor frustrations
as hopelessly difficult. Their negative emotional reactions tend to persist for unusually
long periods of time, which means they are often in a bad mood. These problems in
emotional regulation can diminish the ability of a person scoring high on neuroticism to
think clearly, make decisions, and cope effectively with stress. At the other end of the
scale, individuals who are less in neuroticism are less easily upset and are less

31
https://www.123test.com/personality-agreeableness/
32
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/neuroticism
 emotionally reactive. They tend to be calm, emotionally stable, and free from persistent
negative feelings.33

33
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/neuroticism
10) Conclusion

Every individual is unique in some ways in terms of pattern of traits and characteristics. “This
pattern of traits tends to be stable over time”. The unique and relatively stable pattern of behavior
of individual which make different from other is termed as personality. Personality is reflected in
thought, emotions and action as they are found same every time.
Personality is the factor which logically defines and helps to recognize the individual from
others. The word personality is derived from Latin words “Per Sona” which means to speak
through. In prior days these words were used to explain the masks worn by actors in ancient
Greece and Rome. Based upon this fact, personality in many extents is explained in terms of
charming, well dressed and attractiveness. In this thus, a key factor in understanding and
predicting individual behavior in group work place and organization. Personality shapes behavior
of individual in group, work place and organization.
The development of personality depends upon a lot of factors. The factors are heredity,
environment, learning and process of socialization are the important determinants of personality.
Heredity of the genetic basis is a very important determinant of personality because the principal
raw material of personality such as physique, intelligence and temperament are to a large extent
dependent on the genetic endowment of a person. Environment is also a very important
determinant of personality development. Physical environment, climate and terrain are important
among the factors which affect one's personality development.
Personality shapes behavior of individual and hence it is concerned with growth and
development of the person. It is the total sum of ways in which an individual reacts to and
interacts with person. In other words, personality is composed of external appearance and traits,
inner awareness of self, person situation interaction. Therefore, personality affects in the work
setting, group productivity and organizational culture. Managers need to measure and estimate
their behavior in organization and treat accordingly.
Bibliography
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 https://www.ukessays.com/essays/psychology/the-definition-and-determinants-of-
personality-psychology-essay.php
 http://www.universalteacherpublications.com/mba/ebooks/ob/ch3/page2.htm
 http://www.swiftutors.com/behaviors/what-is-personality.php
 https://owlcation.com/social-sciences/PERSONALITY-DETERMINANTS
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 Essentials of Organizational Behavior;Book by Stephen P. Robbin