Decoding

1
Chapter 4 Decoding Human Behavior and
Personality
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Objectives

• Describe the major influences on individual
  behavior in organizations
• Discuss the Big 5 Model of personality and
  summarize the research on the model
• Identify the four dimensions of the MyersBriggs
  Type Indicator

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Organizational Behavior An Experiential Approach
8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M.
Rubin and Marlene E. Turner
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Objectives

• Discuss the interactionist approaches to
  personality and use them to discern the roots of
  individual behavior
• Diagnose the causes of a difficult employees
  behavior and identify appropriate responses

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Organizational Behavior An Experiential Approach
8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M.
Rubin and Marlene E. Turner
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What Influences Behavior?
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Rubin and Marlene E. Turner
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Personality - Defined

• Personality is defined as an individuals
• relatively stable characteristic patterns of
• thought, emotion, and behavior, and the
• psychological mechanisms that support
• and drive those patterns

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Organizational Behavior An Experiential Approach
8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M.
Rubin and Marlene E. Turner
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Personality Development Influences

• NATURE
• Genes

• NURTURE
• Environmental and
• situational aspects
• like family, culture
• and geographical
• location

AND
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Organizational Behavior An Experiential Approach
8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M.
Rubin and Marlene E. Turner
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Traits - Defined

• Broad, relatively regular dimensions of
• individual behavior
• Examples extroverted, aggressive,
• confident

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Organizational Behavior An Experiential Approach
8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M.
Rubin and Marlene E. Turner
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Trait Models/Theories

• Emphasize components of personality
• Highlight importance of individual
  characteristics in determining behavior
• De-emphasize role of situation or environment

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Organizational Behavior An Experiential Approach
8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M.
Rubin and Marlene E. Turner
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The Big 5 Model

• Also called Five-Factor Model
• Personality OCEAN dimensions
• Openness to experience
• Conscientiousness
• Extroversion
• Agreeableness
• Neuroticism (or emotional stability)

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Organizational Behavior An Experiential Approach
8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M.
Rubin and Marlene E. Turner
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The Big 5 Model

• Openness to experience
• Seeking new and varied experiences
• Aware of ones thoughts, feelings and impulses
• Conscientiousness
• Dependable / trustworthy
• Conform to social norms
• Extroversion
• Outgoing
• Sociable
• Assertive

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Organizational Behavior An Experiential Approach
8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M.
Rubin and Marlene E. Turner
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The Big 5 Model

• Agreeableness
• Likeable
• Considerate
• Cooperative
• Neuroticism (or emotional stability)
• Worry
• Insecurity
• Self-pity
• Poor self-image
• Mood swings

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Organizational Behavior An Experiential Approach
8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M.
Rubin and Marlene E. Turner
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The MyersBriggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
Based on Jung

• Key personality components
• Extroversion/Introversion (E/I) Social
  interaction
• Sensing/Intuiting (S/I) Collection of
  information
• Thinking/Feeling (T/F) Evaluation of
  information
• Judging/Perceiving (J/P) Decision making

Limited research evidence
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Other Common Personality Traits

• Self-esteem degree of regard people have for
  themselves high vs. low
• Machiavellianism the end justifies the means,
  manipulation, emotionally distant
• Locus of control inner-oriented and in control
  of ones destiny versus outer-oriented at the
  mercy of fate or luck

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Organizational Behavior An Experiential Approach
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Rubin and Marlene E. Turner
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Interactionist Models/Theories

• Behavior is determined by
• Individuals nature and personality
• and
• Situational factors that influence their responses

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Rubin and Marlene E. Turner
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The Conditional Reasoning Approach

• A contingency model that assumes that
• individuals interpret what happens in their
  social
• environment differently
• based on their individual
• dispositions

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Cognitive-Affective Processing System (CAPS)

• Cognitive-affective Unit (CAU)
• Interpretations of people and situations,
  goals, expectancies, memories and feelings
• Affected by genetic, cultural, societal, and
  developmental factors

Personality
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Cognitive-Affective Processing System (CAPS)
Psychological features of situations
Behavioral consequences
If-then behavior profiles
Cognitive affective personality system
Biological history
Cognitive social learning history
Culture and society
Genetic background
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Guidelines for Dealing with Difficult People

• Create a rich picture of
• The problem person
• Yourself
• The situation
• Reframe your goals
• What do you want to accomplish?

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Guidelines for Dealing with Difficult People

• Stage the encounter
• Face-to-face meeting
• Acknowledge the persons value
• Describe problem behavior objectively
• Discuss possible solutions
• Follow Up
• Monitor and reward progress
• Take corrective action

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