Basic Characteristics of People

Basic Characteristics of People Definitions and sources Ways of looking at personality

MBTI Big 5 Locus of control Machiavellianism Self-esteem and self-efficacy Risk taking

Definitions Personality: “The sum total of

ways in which an individual reacts and interacts with others”

Afffect: “A broad range of feelings that people experience”

Emotion: “Intense feelings that are directed at someone or something”

Moods: “Feelings that tend to be less intense than emotions”

Felt vs.Displayed

RelativelyStable

Personality: Where From? Heredity Environment Situation

Interactionof all 3 Factors

From Personality to Behavior

Heredity Environment

SituationPersonality

Behavior

What is the MBTI ? A personality inventory that assesses normal

psychological functioning A tool to help people in organizations: The MBTI measures 4 scales:

SCALE REFERS TO KEY

ACTIVITY Extraversion-Introversion How a person is

energized Energizing

Sensing-INtuition What a person pays attention to Attending

Thinking-Feeling How a person decides Deciding

Judgement-Perception Life style a person adopts Living

Basic Principles Individuals possess unique and different

styles for the way they are energized, prefer to perceive their environments, make decisions, and how they live their lives

These different styles can be categorized into 16 basic styles or psychological types

Each type represents a set of strengths and weaknesses (situationally defined)

Each type needs its opposite

Extraversion and IntroversionE I

Energy Outward to people and things Inward to concepts and ideas Express emotions Bottle up emotions

Focus Variety, action, achievement Understanding, reflection,

invention Change world Understand world

Attitude Relaxed and confident Reserved and questioning Understandable, accessible Subtle and impenetrable

Work Environment Varied and action-oriented Quiet and concentration People Alone Breadth Depth

Conflicts May be seen as shallow and pushy to I’s

May be seen as egocentric and passive by E’s

Extroverts in General Are interested in the world of other

people and events Like to influence others and are easily

influenced Are joiners — enjoy lots of activity and

noise — go along with the crowd Are concerned about the image they

project to others — others' judgments are important.

Extroverts at Work Like variety and action — they are

impatient with long, slow jobs Act quickly, sometimes without thinking Find phone calls a welcome distraction Develop ideas by discussion.

Extroverts and Communications Prefer face-to-face communications Seek opportunities to communicate in

groups Communicate energy and enthusiasm

— quickly, without long pauses to think Focus of talk is on people and things in

the external environment In meetings, like talking before moving

to conclusions.

Extroverts - Recap Do — think — do Blurt it out External Involved with people and things Outside thrust Interaction and action

Introverts in General Are interested in what is happening inside

their head — understanding their inner world of thoughts, ideas, and reflections

Often feel lost and lonely in large crowds Don't trust others and are inhibited around

most people Are not easily influenced by other people.

Introverts at Work Like to work alone, to work with ideas, and

will work well on one project for long periods of time

Don't like to be interrupted when working and when working, find phone calls intrusive

Like quiet so they can concentrate Like to think before acting; sometimes,don't

act Develop ideas by reflection.

Introverts and Communications Prefer written over face-to-face

communication Keep energy and enthusiasm inside — hard

to read Think before responding and need to be

drawn out Seek opportunities to communicate one-on-

one In meetings, verbalize well thought out ideas.

Introverts - Recap Think - do - think Internal Keep it in Depth Work with ideas and thoughts Concentration, reflection

Sensing and INtuitionS N

Perception Five senses (experience) Sixth Sense (possibilities)

Focus Details Patterns Practical Innovative Present enjoyment Future achievement Results Expectation

Orientation Live life as it is Change and rearrange life

Work Environment Have a schedule Have a dream Patient with details Patient with complexity Detail-oriented Looks at big picture

Conflicts May be seen as frivolous and myopic by N’s

May be seen as impractical and lacking in persistence by S’s

Sensing in General Take in information by using their five

senses Are mostly concerned with the present Are interested in practical matters Don't trust hunches.

Sensing at Work Seldom make errors of fact Work steadily Like things to be orderly, precise and clear Like using experience, developed skills, and

standard ways to solve problems May distrust and ignore their inspirations Like to present details of their work first Prefer continuation of "what is", with fine

tuning.

Sensing and Communications Like evidence, facts, details presented

first Want to see practical realistic

applications Use orderly, step-by-step approach in

presentations In meetings, follow the agenda.

Sensing - Recap The five senses Practical Present-oriented Fact, detail oriented Uses established skills Utility, step-by-step

Intuitives in General Take in information through a "sixth

sense" Are interested in the possibilities, in

what "might be" Are always looking ahead to the next

idea Often come up with hunches "out of the

blue" and easily follow their hunches — good or bad.

Intuitives at Work Like solving new and complex problems Like to do things with an innovative bent Often make errors of fact and are

impatient with details Prefer change — sometimes radical —

to continuation of "what is" Enjoy learning a new skill more than

using it.

Intuitives and Communications Global schemes, with broad issues presented

first Want possible future challenges discussed

first Rely on insights and imagination to provoke

discussion Like suggestions to be novel and unusual Bypass agenda in meetings Refer to general concepts.

Intuitives - Recap “Sixth sense” What “could be” Theoretical Novelty Insights Leap around

Thinking and FeelingT F

Mode of Judgement Head True / False

Focus Logic of a situation Human values and needs Things People Truth Tact Principles Harmony

Work Environment Task oriented Relationship oriented Brief and Businesslike Naturally friendly Treats others fairly Treats others as they need to be

treated

Conflicts May seem cold, impersonal, and heartless to F’s

May seem flighty, emotional, and unreliable to T’s

Thinking in General Make decisions in a logical, fact-driven

way Often hurt people's feelings without

knowing it Organize and structure information to

help in decisions.

Thinking At Work Find it easy to be firm-minded and give

necessary criticism Can work in situations where people do

not get along well Like logical analysis to reach conclusions Decide impersonally, without sufficient

attention to people's wishes Look at principles involved in a situation.

Thinking and Communications Like to be brief and concise when they talk to

others Are persuaded by cool, impersonal reasoning Wants pros and cons of each alternative to

be listed Can be intellectually critical and objective Present goals and objectives first In a meeting, seek involvement with tasks.

Thinking - Recap Head, not heart Logical Objective Justice Critique Reason Principles Firm, but fair

Feeling in General Make decisions in a personal, value-

driven way Heart over head Concern for others.

Feeling at Work Work best in situations where people

get along well Avoid telling people unpleasant things Enjoy pleasing people, even in

unimportant things Let decisions be influenced by own and

others' likes and dislikes Look at underlying values in a situation.

Feeling and Communication Are sympathetic Like to be sociable and friendly when they

talk to others Are persuaded by enthusiasm and personal

information Present points of agreement first In meetings, seek involvement with people Can be interpersonally appreciative.

Feeling - Recap Heart, not head Values oriented Subjective Mercy Compliment Empathy Harmony Compassionate

Judging and PerceptiveJ P

Life Style Regimented Spontaneous Mechanistic Organic Performance-oriented Problem-solving

Attitude Decisive Curious Purposeful Adaptable “Order is Heaven’s First Law” “Don’t Fence Me In”

Conflicts May seem regimented and opinionated to P’s

May be seen as aimless drifters to J’s

Judging in General Like to have a planned and organized

life Like to plan their work and work the

plan Like to get things settled and finished Make decisions quickly

Judging at Work Set tight deadlines Don't like surprises; like planned activities Seek structure and schedules Tend to be satisfied once they reach a

decision on a thing, situation, or person May not notice new things that need to be

done Sometimes resistant to change

Judging and Communications State priorities and decisions clearly Talk of purpose and direction,

schedules and timetables In meetings, focus on task at hand Want advance warning

Judging - Recap Planful Regulated Control Settled Run one's life Set goals Decisive Organized

Perceptive in General Like to live a spontaneous and flexible

life Feel closed-in by routines and

schedules Adapt well to change.

Perceptive at Work Like to leave things hanging in case last

minute changes are needed Often second guess their decisions Postpone making decisions and unpleasant

tasks that need doing Enjoy flexibility in their work Tend to be curious and welcome new light on

a thing, situation, or person Feel restricted without change.

Perceptive and Communications Will discuss schedules, but uncomfortable

with tight deadlines Enjoy surprises and adapting to last minute

change Expect others to adapt to situational

requirements Communicate options and opportunities Talk of customizing and flexibility In meetings, focus on the process to be

appreciated.

Perceptive - Recap Spontaneous Go with the flow Adapt Gather information Let life happen Flexible Tentative Open

This Semester

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INFJ INTJ 1

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More This Semester

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Problem SolvingUsing Type Preferences

Sensing and Intuition

Thinkingand

Feeling

Problem Solving Model

SENSING(facts)

INTUITION(possibilities)

FEELING(impact on people)

THINKING(consequences)

Sensing and Intuition Sensing

What are the facts? What exactly is the situation? What has been done? What am I and others doing? How would an outsider look at this situation?

Intuition What are the possibilities? What other ways are there for solving this problem? What do the data imply? What are the implications beyond the facts? What is this problem analogous to?

Thinking and Feeling Thinking

What are the pros and cons of each possibility? What are the logical consequences of each possibility? What is the cost of each? What are the pleasant and unpleasant outcomes of each? What is the consequence of not acting?

Feeling How much do I care about what I gain or lose in each

alternative? What are the values involved for each possibility? How will the people concerned react to the outcome? Who is committed to carry out the solution? Will the outcome contribute to individual or group harmony?

More Implications of Type Communications Time management Work style

Individual Differences - Big 5 Extroversion (ambition, sociability)

Sociable, assertive, talkative, active Emotional stability

Emotional, nervous, insecure, excitable Agreeableness

Courteous, flexible, trusting, good-natured, cooperative Conscientiousness

Responsible, organized, planful, persevering, willing to achieve

Openness to Experience Imaginative, curious,original, broad minded

Locus of Control Internal: Belief that you control your own

destiny External: Outside forces (luck, chance)

control what happens Results?

Externals less satisfied with jobs, less involved with work

Internals tend to do better on jobs requiring initiative and independent action

Machiavellianism The degree to which an individual is

pragmatic, maintains emotional distance, and believes that the ends justify the means

Good or bad? Depends on the requirements of the situation

Machiavelli and His Words

…the gulf between how one should live and how one does live is so wide that a man who neglects what is actually done for what should be done learns the way to self-destruction rather than self-preservation

Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy A person’s degree of linking for him or

herself; positive self-image Levels of self-esteem

Global self-esteem Situational self-esteem Organization-based self esteem (OBSE) Self-efficacy: the belief that one can

perform a specific task

Risk What it involves

How long it takes to make a decision How much information you gather before making a

decision A basic personality variable: risk propensity Good or bad? Depends on the

circumstances Moderate levels of risk propensity are

associated with high need for achievement

Risk Taking Actual risk taking depends on

Individual level of risk propensity Situation

Different situations Most folks tend to avoid risks when looking at

possible gains Conversely, people take more risks when looking

at losses Escalating commitment, or throwing good

money after bad

Other Related Personality Variables Sensing / Intuition (MBTI)

Sensing = look at facts Intuition = look at possibilities

Openness to Experience (Big 5) Imaginative, curious,original, broad minded

Locus of Control Internal: Belief that you control your own destiny External: Outside forces (luck, chance) control what

happens Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy: the belief that one can perform a specific task

Collective Emotion:The Madness of Crowds Collective behavior:

Shared beliefs Shared emotions Shared motivations

Mass hysteria, “madness of crowds” A baseless belief that spreads rapidly and widely, then dies

down just as quickly Often accompanied by irrational behavior

Examples Salem witchcraft trials Dutch tulip frenzy dot com