PERSONALITY AND ATTITUDES

Personality
The word personality is derived from a Latin word “persona” which means “to
speak through.”
The word persona refers to a theatrical mask worn by performers in the Roman
Theatre in order to either project different roles or disguise their identities.
Personality is the way of thinking, feeling and behaving that makes a person
different from other people. An individual's personality is influenced by
experiences, environment (surroundings, life situations) and inherited
characteristics.
Personality is the combination of characteristics and qualities that forms a
person’s unique identity. It signifies the role which a person plays in public. Every
individual has a unique, personal and major determinant of his behaviour that
defines his/her personality.
Features of Personality
1. Personality has both physical and psychological components.
2. Its expression in terms of behaviour is fairly unique in a given individual.
3. Its main features do not easily change with time.
4. It is dynamic in the sense that some of its features may change due to internal
or external situational demands; adaptive to situations.

Determinants of Personality
The determinants of personality can be grouped in five broad categories:
1. Biological Factors
2. Cultural Factors
3. Family Factors
4. Social Factors
5. Situational Factors
Biological Factors
The study of the biological contributions to personality may be studied under four
heads:
Heredity
Heredity refers to those factors that were determined at conception. Physical
stature, facial attractiveness, sex, temperament, muscle composition and reflexes,
energy level, and biological rhythms are characteristics that are considered to be
inherent from one’s parents.
The heredity approach argues that the ultimate explanation of an individual’s
personality is the molecular structure of the genes, located in the chromosomes.
Brain
The second biological approach is to concentrate on the role that the brain
plays in personality. Now, psychological scientists have found that the size of
different parts of people's brains correspond to their personalities; for example,
conscientious people tend to have a bigger lateral prefrontal cortex, a region of the
brain involved in planning and controlling behaviour.
Preliminary results from the electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB) research
give an indication that a better understanding of human personality and
behaviour might come from the study of the brain.
 Different parts of the brain are having different functions as shown above. Size
of different parts of the brain plays an important role in shaping the personality
and behavioural pattern of human being.
Biofeedback
Until recently, physiologists and psychologists felt that certain biological functions
such as brainwave patterns, gastric and hormonal secretions, and fluctuations in
blood pressure and skin temperature were beyond conscious control.
Now, some scientists believe that these involuntary functions can be consciously
controlled through biofeedback techniques. In BFT, the individual learns the
internal rhythms of a particular body process through electronic signals that are
feedback from equipment that is wired to the body with a goal of being able to
manipulate the body's systems at will.
During biofeedback, one is connected to electrical sensors that help the person,
receives information about individual’s body. This feedback helps us make subtle
(minute) changes in our body, such as relaxing certain muscles, to achieve the
results we want, such as reducing pain.

Physical Features
A vital ingredient of the personality, an individual’s external appearance, is
biologically determined. The fact that a person is tall or short, fat or skinny, black
or white will influence the person’s effect on others and this in turn, will affect the
self-concept.
Cultural Factors
Among the factors that influence personality formation is the culture in which we
are raised, early conditioning, norms prevailing within the family, friends and
social groups and other miscellaneous experiences that impact us.
The culture largely determines attitudes towards independence, aggression,
competition, cooperation and a host of other human responses.
Family Factors
Whereas the culture generally prescribes and limits what a person can be taught,
it is the family, and later the social group, which selects, interprets and dispenses
the culture. Thus, the family probably has the most significant impact on early
personality development.
A substantial amount of empirical evidence indicates that the overall home
environment created by the parents, in addition to their direct influence, is critical
to personality development.
The parents play an especially important part in the identification process, which
is important to the person’s early development. The home environment also
influences the personality of an individual. Siblings (brothers and sisters) also
contribute to personality.
Social Factors
There is increasing recognition given to the role of other relevant persons, groups
and especially organisations, which greatly influence an individual’s personality.
This is commonly called the socialization process.
Socialization involves the process by which a person acquires, from the
enormously wide range of behavioural potentialities that are open to him or her,
those that are ultimately synthesized (blend) and absorbed.
Socialization starts with the initial contact between a mother and her new infant.
After infancy, other members of the immediate family – father, brothers, sisters and
close relatives or friends, then the social group: peers, school friends and members
of the work group – play influential roles.
Socialization process is especially relevant to organisational behaviour because the
process is not confined to early childhood, taking place rather throughout one’s
life. In particular, the evidence is accumulating that socialization may be one of
the best explanations for why employees behave the way they do in today’s
organisations.
Situational Factors
Human personality is also influenced by situational factors. The effect of the
environment is quite strong. Knowledge, skill and language are obviously
acquired and represent important modifications of behaviour.
An individual’s personality, while generally stable and consistent, does change in
different situations. The varying demands of different situations call forth
different aspects of one’s personality.
According to Milgram, “Situation exerts an important press on the individual. It
exercises constraints and may provide a push. In certain circumstances, it is not
so much the kind of person a man is, as the kind of situation in which he is placed
that determines his actions”. We should therefore not look at personality patterns
in isolation.
 PERSONALITY AND ATTITUDES
Personality Traits - Meaning and Different Types of Traits
Traits have been defined by psychologists in various senses:
1. A trait of personality means such a distinctive character of a person’s thoughts,
feelings and actions so as to make the individual different from other persons.
2. Traits possess some important characteristics such as sociability, flexibility,
functional unity. Traits are mental sets, which are learned.
3. Traits are any distinguishable ways in which one individual differs from other.

Five Parameters of Personality Traits

Broadly there are five parameters which describe an individual’s personality.
These five dimensions are also called as “Big Five” Factors, and the model is
referred to as Five Factor Model also abbreviated as FFM. This is also called as
OCEAN.
The Five Factor Model was initially proposed by Costa & McCrae in the year 1992
and often describes the relation between an individual’s personality and various
behaviours.
Following are five personality traits of an individual:
1. Openness to Experience
Individuals with openness to experience are generally very active, have a
tremendous inclination towards creativity and aesthetics and listen to their
heart i.e. follow their inner feelings. Curiosity about the society, environment
and interest towards learning new things and new experiences will be their
thirst. People who score high on openness are quite broadminded and modern
in their outlook as compared to individuals who score low on the same
parameter. Such low score individuals are conservative, reluctant to changes
and have a traditional approach in life.
2. Conscientiousness
As the name suggests, individuals with a Conscientiousness personality trait
listen to their conscience and act accordingly. Such individuals are extremely
cautious and self-disciplined. They never perform any task in haste (hurry) but
think twice before acting. People with this personality trait are generally
methodical and tend to become perfectionists in the long run. People who score
 high on conscientiousness are proactive, goal oriented and self-disciplined.
They strive hard to accomplish goals and objectives within the stipulated time
frame. Individuals who score less are little laid back (relaxed and easy going)
and are not much goal oriented.
3. Extraversion and Introversion
Carl Jung popularized both the terms - “Extraversion” and “Introversion”.
a. Extraversion: Extraversion refers to a state where individuals show more
concern towards what is happening outside. Such individuals love
interacting with people around and are generally talkative. They do not
like spending time alone but love being the centre of attraction of parties
and social gatherings. Such individuals love going out, partying, meeting
people and often get bored when they are all by themselves. They admire
the company of others and hate staying alone.

b. Introversion: Introversion, on the other hand refers to a state when an

individual is concerned only with his own life and nothing else. Such
individuals do not bother about others and are seldom (rarely) interested
in what is happening around. They prefer staying back at home rather
than going out and spending time with friends. Such individuals speak less
and enjoy their own company. You would never find them in meetings,
 clubs, parties or social get-togethers. They generally do not have many
friends and tend to rely on few trusted ones.

4. Agreeableness
Agreeableness is a personality trait which teaches individuals to be adjusting
in almost all situations. Such individuals do not complain and face changes
with a smile. They accommodate themselves to all situations and are friendly
and kind hearted. People who score high on agreeableness are ready to help
others and flash their trillion-dollar smile whenever a problem arises.
Individuals who score low on agreeableness on the other hand find difficulties
in adjusting with others and are little unfriendly.
5. Neuroticism
Neuroticism is a trait where individuals are prone to negative thoughts such as
anxiety, anger, envy, guilt and so on. Such individuals are often in a state of
depression and do not know how to enjoy life. They always look at the negative
sides of life and find extremely difficult to cope up with stress.
Descriptions of the Big Five Personality Traits
Example behaviours for those scoring low and high for the big 5 traits
Development of Personality
An individual’s behaviour towards others, attitude, characteristics, mindset make
his personality. Personality development is defined as a process of enhancing one’s
personality. Personality development sessions guide an individual as to how he/she
can develop his/her personality.
Simple ways to develop Personality
Smile and good impression - Greet everyone with a smiling face. You will be
perceived for your good impression and manner in the early start of the day. They
will receive you as a good friend and a kind person when you treat others with a
bright smile.
Good mannerism - Develop good manners, show respect towards elders and higher
officials in the office. Make sure you don’t show aggressive attitude, rude
behaviour towards others.
Be positive - Show positivity towards all the deeds and efforts in action. Boost your
energy towards creating enthusiastic environment. Don’t have negative thoughts
on things which you can’t control. Practice positivity.
Be more passionate - Always drive your visions with passion, develop your thoughts
and innovations on your ambition and get moving with new ideas and keep focused.
Do your jobs with ease and joy.
Be compassionate - Be happy to help others in need and care for them during their
worst times. Be always a good listener and value the thoughts of others. Listen to
others to understand them and feel free to console them on their upsets and
frustrations. Sharing and caring a little is a positive trait.
Praise the one in front of you - Wishing good for others and rewarding them on an
achievement or a word of appreciation is always a good personality to develop.
Don’t compare yourself to others during the success of others. This will make a
negative thought on ourselves lacking self-confidence.
Communicate effectively - Communication is one of the other major components
of Personality development. Effective communication expands knowledge of
others. Learn to share news and article you read or you have seen, to others. This
can stimulate the minds and also gives you things to discuss.
Be a lion in the face of danger – Be bold to face the danger. If you are on an ethical
path, there is no obstacle or danger that will fail you tremendously. Though the
crisis or danger by other ways will teach you lessons towards success. It will make
you experience the good and bad and activities not to reappear. So, be bold to face
the cons of life.
Exercise and Meditate - This will develop capability to handle and manage stress
levels. Life can be a mess sometimes and it can risky to make your mind relaxed. It
may lack focus, which will make us act rude and grouchy (bad-tempered). Plan an
hour or two to meditate and exercise which will help you boost your mind and
improve your mental health.
Definition of Attitude
Attitude can be described as a tendency to react positively or negatively to a person
or circumstances. In other words, Attitude may be defined as a feeling or
disposition (inherent qualities of mind and character) to favour or be against
objects, persons, and situations.
Thurstone said, “An attitude denotes the total of man’s inclinations and feelings,
prejudice or bias, preconceived notions, ideas, fears, threats, and other any specific
topic.”
Types of Attitude
Attitude is something that lies between emotions and thought processing. It may be
positive or negative.
A person can have thousands of attitudes, but organizational behaviour focuses the
attention on a very limited number of work-related attitudes.
Most of the research in organizational behaviour has been concerned with three
attitudes. 3 types of attitudes are;
1. Job Satisfaction
2. Job Involvement
3. Organizational Commitment

Job Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is the level of contentment a person feels regarding his or her job.
This feeling is mainly based on an individual’s perception of satisfaction.
A person with a high level of job satisfaction holds positive attitudes about the job,
while a person who is dissatisfied with his or her job holds a negative attitude about
the job.
A person having a negative attitude shows a personality disposition that is inclined
to experience nervousness, tension, upset, distress, etc. whereas those with a
positive attitude will feel happy themselves, others and their work.
Generally, it is deemed a high level of job satisfaction means positive attitudes
towards the job and vice versa.
When we talk about attitude, we generally speak about job satisfaction because
they are inter-related in organizational behaviour.

Job Involvement
Job involvement refers to the degree to which a person identifies himself
(psychologically) with his job, actively participates and considers his perceived
performance level important to self-worth.
Higher job satisfaction leads to low absenteeism & employee turnover and
indicates that the individual cares for his job.
However, it seems to more consistently predict turnover (resignation) than
absenteeism, according to as much as 16 percent of the variance in the former.
Organizational Commitment
The last job-attitude refers to organizational commitment. It is understood as one’s
identification with his or her organization and feels proud of being its employee.
It is defined as a state in which an employee identifies with a particular
organization and, its goals, and wishes to maintain membership in the
organization.
Different studies demonstrate that an individual’s level of organizational
commitment is a better indicator of turnover than the far more frequently used job
satisfaction predictor, explaining as much as 34 percent of the variance.
Basically, turnover and absenteeism are low when employees have an
organizational commitment.