Personality and Identity Lecture Notes

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards based on the lecture material regarding personality frameworks, the Big Five model, self-evaluation theories, and identity.

Personality

The relatively stable set of psychological characteristics that influences the way an individual interacts with his or her environment and how he or she feels, thinks, and behaves.

Dispositional Approach

The perspective in Organizational Behaviour that individuals possess stable traits or characteristics that influence attitudes and behaviours.

Situational Approach

The perspective that characteristics of the organizational setting influence people’s attitudes and behavior.

Interactionist Approach

The perspective that an individual’s attitudes and behavior are a function of both dispositions and the situation.

Extraversion

A Big Five dimension describing individuals who are sociable and talkative versus those who are withdrawn and shy; it predicts performance for jobs requiring interpersonal interactions.

Emotional Stability (Neuroticism)

A Big Five dimension involving characters who are stable and confident versus those who are depressed and anxious; (Neuroticism) is associated with anxiety and emotional reactivity.

Agreeableness

A Big Five dimension describing individuals who are tolerant and cooperative versus those who are cold and rude.

Conscientiousness

The #1 predictor of job performance across occupations; describes individuals who are dependable and responsible versus those who are careless and impulsive.

Openness to Experience

A Big Five dimension describing individuals who are curious and original versus those who are dull and unimaginative; predicts training proficiency.

Identity

Composed of Personal Identity (uniqueness) and Social Identity (relatedness), this shapes how we perceive the world around us.

Social Identity Theory

The theory that individuals are categorized into socially relevant groups within social contexts, affecting perceptions of self and others.

Privilege

An unearned benefit due to demographic factors and/or life circumstance.

Self-Concept

Guides decisions and actions by answering 'Who am I?' and 'How do I feel about myself?'; includes individual, relational, and collective selves.

Self-Esteem

Represents the extent to which people like, respect, and are satisfied with themselves.

Behavioral Plasticity Theory

The theory concerning the extent to which an individual is more susceptible (low self-esteem) or pliable (high self-esteem) to external and social influences.

Self-Efficacy

Represents a person’s belief that he or she can successfully complete a task; develops over the lifespan through success and failure.

Pygmalion Effect

A self-fulfilling prophecy where expectations about another person cause that person to act in a way consistent with those expectations.

Locus of Control

A person’s general belief about the amount of control he or she has over personal life events, categorized as Internal or External.

Internal Locus of Control

The attribution of life events to personal characteristics; associated with higher earnings $(\text{\$} )$ and better stress coping.

External Locus of Control

The attribution of life events to fate, luck, or environment conditions.

Social Cognitive Theory

The framework where people observe behavior and its consequences to guide subsequent behaviors through processes like observational learning and self-regulation.

Self-Monitoring

The extent to which people observe and regulate how they appear and behave in social settings and relationships.

High Self-Monitors

Individuals who show concern for socially appropriate emotions and behaviours, tuning in to social cues and responding accordingly.

Low Self-Monitors

Individuals who act like they feel and say what they think regardless of social setting.