1.

Anand has been raised in economically modest family and has seen family struggle to make
ends meet. What worked well for Anand was his hard work and sheer dedication because of
which he was able to get through to civil services exam in the first attempt itself. As soon as
Anand’s training finished he was placed as a District Magistrate. Soon he notices a scam under
a government scheme involving huge amount of money. He raised the concern to the higher
authorities to which he was asked to be involved in it and get a huge part of the deal. Anand
is now in dilemma as he is in need of money to look after his family requirements. Bring out
how the three personality traits as per the psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund Freud act on
him.

Answer:
According to Sigmund Freud, our personality develops from the interactions among what he proposed as
the three fundamental structures of the human mind: the id, ego, and superego. Conflicts among these
three structures, and our efforts to find balance among what each of them “desires,” determines how we
behave and approach the world.

Id: The id operates at an unconscious level and focuses solely on instinctual drives and desires. Two
biological instincts make up the id,
o Eros or the instinct to survive that drives us to engage in life-sustaining activities,
o Thanatos or the death instinct that drives destructive, aggressive, and violent behaviour.

The id is the unconscious part of our psyche which responds immediately to basic urges, needs, and
desires. The personality of the newborn child is all id. The id is not affected by reality, logic or the
everyday world, as it operates within the unconscious part of the mind. It operates entirely
unconsciously (outside of conscious thought).

For example, if your id walked past a stranger eating cream roll, it would most likely take the cream roll
for itself. It doesn’t know, or care, that it is rude to take something belonging to someone else; it would
care only that you wanted cream roll.

Ego: The ego acts as both a conduit for and a check on the id, working to meet the id’s needs in a
socially appropriate way. It is the most tied to reality and begins to develop in infancy. In contrast to the
instinctual id and the moral superego, the ego is the rational, pragmatic part of our personality. It is
partly conscious and partly unconscious. Its job is to balance the demands of the id and superego in the
practical context of reality.

So, if you walked past the stranger with ice cream one more time, your ego would mediate the conflict
between your id (“I want that cream roll right now”) and superego (“It’s wrong to take someone else’s
cream roll”) and decide to go buy your own cream roll.

Superego: The superego is the portion of the mind in which morality and higher principles reside,
encouraging us to act in socially and morally acceptable ways. The superego's function is to control the
id's impulses, especially those which society forbids, such as sex and aggression. It also has the function
of persuading the ego to turn to moralistic goals rather than simply realistic ones and to strive for
perfection. The superego consists of two systems: The conscience and the ideal self. The conscience can
punish the ego through causing feelings of guilt. For example, if the ego gives in to the id's demands, the
superego may make the person feel bad through guilt.

Personality Traits Features

  Unconscious level only
Id  Instinct to Survive (Eros) and Destroy (Thanatos)
 Does not change with time or experience
 Chaotic and unreasonable
 Develops in infancy
 Keeps check on Id
Ego
 Balance the demands of the id and superego.
 Considers social realities and norms, etiquette and rules

Super Ego  Where morality resides

 Encourages social responsibility

The motive of a criminal offence is the inner encouragement, drive, propensity of a person that directs the
will of the guilty party towards a criminal offence. The reasons for crime may be for:-
 Physiological and safety needs
 Will to power
 Esteem needs.

Now, consider the case of Anand:-

Id: The family of Anand was economically weak. Anand must have developed personality with
exaggerated drive for material benefits. His personality may form under influence of several causes –
sublimation of childhood fear and poverty, search for safety, willingness to overcome the sense of
weakness, feeling of being unprotected, of
being inferior, will for power etc. Since Anand has been raised in economically modest family, he
understands the value of money. His unconscious behaviour will propel him to take the bribe as he has
been deprived of money since childhood. He will accept the bribe to ensure physical survival and satisfy
the physiological and safety needs of himself and his family. Also there will be a sense to satisfy the will
to power in order to mitigate the inferiority complex developed during childhood. A person who has
 received a position of an official (District Magistrate) with the aim to obtain sense of power will engage
in bribe taking with high probability.

Super ego: Anand has been hard working to meet the basic needs. Even in the limited resources
available, he worked hard on his studies and with sheer dedication; he was able to get through to civil
services exam in the first attempt itself. His personality may form under influence of several causes –
value of hard earned money and resources, dedication, willingness to work hard and overcome poverty,
feeling to become economically strong and powerful to attain a respectful job in the society. Since
Anand has seen a lot of hardships, he understands the value of hard earned money. His conscience will
drive him not to take bribe and as soon he notices a scam under a government scheme involving huge
amount of money, he will raise the concern to the higher authorities and bring justice to the people and
society.

Ego: His id (unconscious behaviour) will propel him to take the bribe while his Superego (conscience)
will drive him not to take bribe. As, Anand is a self made person who understands the value of money
and morality associated with it, his ego will drive him not to take the bribe. His ego will mediate
between the unrealistic id and the external real world. His ego decides to make that sacrifice as part of
the compromise. Anand will feel anxiety. The unconscious defence mechanisms will be employed, to
help ward off unpleasant feelings (anxiety) or make good things feel better for him. His ego engages in
secondary process thinking, which is rational, realistic, and considers social realities and norms,
etiquette and rules in deciding not to take bribe.

2. Shritika is an entrepreneur, she has her own HR consultancy firm. In her work Shritika gets to
meet a lot of clients which she really enjoys. Whenever she is stressed because of her work,
she goes out with her friends or family and then resumes work with new enthusiasm and
energy. She is one such boss that whenever the employees face any problem they do not
hesitate to share with her. At times when the client is annoyed and loses his cool Shritika still
maintains her composure and tries to solve his concerns. Based on all the above narration
discuss Shritika’s personality on the basis of Big Five/OCEAN
Answer:
Personality can be defined as a set of characteristics possessed by an individual that impacts his/her
motivations and behaviour in the different situations. The five factor model of personality states that
there exist five basic traits which influence an individual’s personality. These five traits are often
referred by the acronym OCEAN:
Openness: It can be described as person’s ability to be Curious, original, intellectual, creative, and
open to new ideas. Extremely open individuals are generally creative, inquisitive, and artistically
sensitive and has a love of learning, enjoys the arts, engages in a creative career or hobby, and likes
meeting new people. An individual who is low in openness prefers routine over variety, sticks to
what he or she knows, and prefers less abstract arts and entertainment. They tend to be
conventional and find comfort in familiarity. Organisations need to focus on developing this
personality trait to increase employee adaptability towards change. It is commonly observed in
organisations that the introduction of change in the way of a new product, strategy, policy,
organisational structure, etc. tend to give rise to workplace politics. Openness amongst employees
may help in overcoming anxiety to change.

Conscientiousness: It can be described as person’s ability to control impulses and act in socially
acceptable ways. It defines the extent of an individual’s reliability. A highly conscientiousness
individual is usually responsible, organised, dependable, and persistent, systematic, punctual,
achievement oriented, and dependable. On the other hand, individuals who score low on
conscientiousness tend to get distracted easily, and are usually disorganised and unreliable. They
are much more likely to procrastinate and to be flighty, impetuous, and impulsive. Organisations
need to develop conscientiousness to avoid individuals getting easily distracted, which gives rise to
workplace politics.

Extroversion: It can be described as person’s ability to be sociable, self-confident, and friendly. It

defines an individual’s comfort level with interpersonal relationships. Extroverts tend to be
outgoing, talkative, sociable, and enjoys being in social situations, self-confident, and friendly. On
the other hand, introverts tend to be reserved, shy, and discreet. Organisations need to minimise
the difference between extroverts and introverts to promote amiable relationships among all
individuals. A better relationship between individuals in an organisation reduces conflicts that give
rise to workplace politics.

Agreeableness: It can be described as person’s ability to be affable, tolerant, sensitive, trusting,

kind, and warm. It defines an individual’s tendency to defer with other individuals. Highly agreeable
individuals are usually cooperative, warm, and credulous. They tend to be well-liked, respected, and
sensitive to the needs of others. On the other hand, people who are less agreeable are cold,
offensive, and opposed to others. They are less trusted and liked by others. They tend to be callous,
blunt, rude, ill-tempered, antagonistic, and sarcastic. Organisations need to focus on developing this
personality trait to reduce ambiguity in opinions, thoughts, and attitudes to- wards other individuals,
objects, and events to eventually reduce workplace politics.
Neuroticism: It can be described as person’s emotional stability and ability to handle stress.
Individuals with high emotional stability tend to be calm, self-confident, and secure. Those high in
neuroticism are generally prone to anxiety, sadness, worry, and low self-esteem. They may be
temperamental or easily angered, and they tend to be self-conscious and unsure of themselves.
Individuals who score on the low end of neuroticism are more likely to feel confident, sure of
themselves, and adventurous. They may also be brave and unencumbered by worry or self-doubt.
Organisations need to focus on developing this personality trait to minimise the building up of stress
and anxiety amongst its employees, which may lead to insecurity and subsequent work- place
politics.

Summary of personality on the basis of Big Five/OCEAN

Personality Traits Features

Openness Imagination, Insightfulness, Varied interests, Originality, Daringness,
Preference for variety, Cleverness, Creativity, Curiosity, Perceptiveness,
Intellect ,Complexity/depth.
Conscientiousness Persistence, Ambition, Thoroughness, Self-discipline , Consistency,
Predictability, Control, Reliability, Resourcefulness, Hard work, Energy,
Perseverance, Planning.
Extroversion Sociable, Assertiveness, Merriness, Outgoing nature, Energy, Talkativeness,
Ability to be articulate, Fun-loving nature, Tendency for affection,
 Friendliness, Social confidence.
Agreeableness Altruism, Trust, Modesty, Humbleness, Patience, Moderation, Tact,
Politeness, Kindness, Loyalty, Unselfishness, Helpfulness, Sensitivity,
Amiability, Cheerfulness, Consideration.
Neuroticism Awkwardness, Pessimism, Moodiness, Jealousy, Testiness, Fear,
Nervousness, Anxiety, Timid, Wariness, Self-criticism, Lack of confidence,
Insecurity, Instability, Oversensitivity.

Now, consider the case of Shritika:-

Personality Traits Features

Openness Shritika is working in an HR Consultancy firm and has to do a lot of
meeting and interaction with her client. She enjoys meeting a lot of
clients. She is very much approachable and her subordinates do not
hesitate to interact with her openly with their problems. Hence she is
focused on tackling new challenges and hence she possesses
Openness.
Conscientiousness Shritika has to do a lot of interaction with her client. Hence she has to
do a lot of preparation before meeting and pays attention to detail for
the output of the meeting. Also, she has to follow a lot of schedule to
avoid clashes in the meeting. This shows her Conscientiousness.
Extroversion Shritika is working in an HR Consultancy firm and has to do a lot of
interaction with her client. She enjoys being in social situations. Also
she is self-confident, and friendly which is evident from the fact that
her subordinates do not hesitate to interact with her openly with their
problems. Hence she possesses Extroversion.
Agreeableness Shritika assists others who are in need of help. Also she has a great deal
of interest in other people. At times when the client is annoyed and
loses his cool, Shritika still maintains her composure and tries to solve
his concerns. This means that she has problem solving skills and tries to
adjust according to situation and hence she possesses Agreeableness.
Neuroticism Shritika is emotionally stable and deals well with the stress. She does
not feel very much worried and keeps herself very much relaxed. When
she is stressed because of her work, she goes out with her friends or
family and then resumes work with new enthusiasm and energy. Hence
she is low in Neuroticism.
 3. As the famous saying goes by, “What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on
where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”

a. Justify this statement by throwing more light on the concept of perception

Answer: Perception is a process which involves the interpretation of stimuli and comprehending its
meaning. A stimulus is perceived through the sensory organs of individuals such as touch, taste, sight,
hearing, and smell.

Perception is of two types:-

Visual Perception: It is a process through which stimulus is received through naked eye.

Auditory Perception: It is a process through which stimulus is received through ear.

SOBC model:

Stimulus: An organism perceives a stimulus from the environment which influences his behaviour.
There are two types of stimuli:
o Overt stimuli: These are signals that are observable. Example: Objects in the environment are
overt stimuli.
o Covert stimuli: These are signals that are not observable. Example: cold weather stimulating an
individual to light a fire is a covert stimulus.

Organism: The organism uses his senses to perceive the stimulus.

Behaviour: The sensory data is interpreted by human brain which marks the behaviour towards a
stimulus. The behaviour can be of two types:

o Overt behavior: It is an open and observable behavior.

o Covert behavior: It is a hidden, concealed, or secretive behavior.

Consequence: It is the outcome of behaviour. These outcomes can be of two types based on the effect
they produce on an individual:

o Positive Consequence: A positive consequence results in satisfaction.

o Negative Consequence: A negative consequence results in dissatisfaction.

Sub-process of perception:-
o Stimulus: Perception begins when an individual receives a stimulus. For example, personal
interaction with the manager works as stimulus for employees to work more efficiently.
o Registration: It is defined as stimulus being perceived by an individual. Example: the employee
registers the advice of his manager using his ears.
o Interpretation: Attaching a certain meaning to the registered stimulus is called Interpretation.
Example, the employee interprets the advice of his manager by attaching some meaning to it.
o Reaction: It is the resultant behavior of an individual after interpreting a stimulus. It may be
overt in nature such as an action, or it may be covert in nature such as a change in the attitude.
Example, I am currently enrolled in a management course and attending the lectures online. Similarly
different candidates are also attending the lecture. Interpretation of the management concept by different
students will differ based on their perception of the concept.
Two people witnessing a movie may interpret the show differently. One can think that the movie was super
hit while other person might think that the movie was underwhelming, a little dull and flop. The first person
might have left the show feeling that he had a great time while second person might have left feeling as
though he didn’t get his money’s worth.
Killing children is a very bad thing. However, there are some societies that kill a baby girl, for the fact that
she is not a boy. This practice is known as sex-selective infanticide. For many of us, their actions would be
bad/wrong. For these societies, it makes sense as the right thing to do.

b. Also, discuss in depth about few perceptual distortions/errors/bias.

Answer: The different perceptual distortions/errors/bias is:

Confirmation Bias :
Confirmation bias is a psychological phenomenon in which a person tends to accept those references or
findings which confirm his/her existing belief in things. It leads to statistical errors, as it influences the
way people gather information and interpret it. It is a type of cognitive bias that leads to poor decision-
making. It prevents us from looking at a situation objectively to make a decision.

For example: Confirmation bias is commonly seen around the election time, when people from all walks
of life are in favour of a specific party or an individual who they think is fit to win. When they are asked
why they like a particular party such as ABC, they would bring out all the positive information they have
about the party or individual.

Primacy Effect.
The primacy effect is the tendency to remember the first piece of information we encounter better than
information presented later on. First impressions influence how we interpret and remember
information. The primacy effect impacts the way we make decisions, as the way we receive information
has proven to be a critical factor in the decision-making process. 

Stereotypes. 
Stereotype is any commonly known public belief about a certain social group or a type of individual. We
are unconsciously influenced by stereotypical beliefs about gender, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity,
professions, socioeconomic classes and education.

Common Stereotypes:

o Racial Profiling
This stereotype is regarding race. For example, saying that all Blacks are good at sports is a stereotype,
because it's grouping the race together to indicate that everyone of that race is a good athlete.

o Gender Profiling
Some common stereotypes of men and women, such as:

 Men are strong and do all the work.

 Women can't do as good of a job as a man.
 Girls are not good at sports.
 o Cultures
Stereotypes also exist about cultures and countries as a whole.

 All Arabs and Muslims are terrorists.

 All Asians are good at math.

o Sexual Stereotypes
Sexual stereotypes, on the other hand, suggest that any feminine man is gay and any masculine woman is a
lesbian. Those who believe gay stereotypes may also believe that homosexuality is immoral, wrong and an
abomination.

Halo Effect. 

The halo effect is a cognitive bias that causes our impression of someone to influence our impression of
them. Halo effect can cause people to assume that someone will have an interesting personality, simply
because they find that person to be physically attractive. Essentially, when we consciously or subconsciously
judge a certain entity such as person, product, or a company, the way we perceive a single notable trait can
significantly influence how we perceive its other traits.

False-Consensus Effect. 

We assume other people think and feel exactly the way we do. We believe our bad habits are universal and
normal. We tend to believe that we have better values and are generally more honest, kind and capable
than others (the false-uniqueness fallacy).