Individual Differences, Diversity, Ability, and Personality

Learning Objectives

1. Explain how individual differences influence the behavior of people in organizations.

2. Describe the key factors contributing to demographic diversity.

3. Explain how mental ability relates to job performance.

4. Identify major personality variables that influence job performance.

5. Explain how emotional intelligence is an important part of organizational behavior.

Individual Differences

Personal characteristics of individuals produce variations in their behavioral responses to the same situations:

Behavior is a function of the personinteracting with the environment.

B = ƒ(P x E)

Behavior is determined (moderated) by the interactive effects of the person and the environment.

Consequences of Individual Differences

Variations in Productivity

The more complex the job, the larger the impact of individual productivity differences on work output.

Ability and Talent

Having the right skills and abilities directly affects job performance.

Propensity for Achieving High-Quality Results

Some workers take pride and pursue excellence in their work while others do not.

Empowerment and Involvement

Workers differ in their desires to be fulfilled by and involved in their work.

Consequences of Individual Differences

Preferred leadership style

Some workers prefer or require more supervision than others.

Need for contact with other people

Workers differ in the need to relate to others on the job.

Commitment and loyalty to the firm

There are large variations in the degree to which individuals are committed (loyal) to their firms.

Variations in worker’s self-esteem

High self-esteem is linked to self-efficacy (personal capability), self-respect (personal worth), and increased productivity.

Demographic Diversity

Difference in background factors shape worker attitudes and behaviors.

Key sources of diversity include gender, age, race and ethnicity, and physical disability.

Advantages of understanding diversity:

Capitalize on differences

Avoid negative stereotyping

Sex and Gender Differences

Sex differences

are actual biological differences in males and females.

Gender differences

are based on perceptions of male and female roles. Research findings indicate that:

Age- and Experience-Based Differences

Shortages of skilled workers are likely by 2010.

Job discrimination against older workers

is problematic for employers who need workers.

is well-documented by AARP “testers.”

Job-related consequences of age

Research results are mixed:

Age and experience are predictive of performance on complex jobs although age and job performance are generally unrelated.

Older workers have lower absenteeism, illness and accident rates, higher job satisfaction, and positive work values.

Racial and Ethnic Differences

Racioethnicity

Term refers to a variety of racial and ethnic differences.

Racioethnic differences in individual job performance are more attributable to culture than to racial or ethnic background.

Disability Status

American with Disabilities Act (1991)

Defines disability as a physical or mental condition that substantially limits an individual’s major life activities:

learning, thinking, concentrating, interacting with others, caring for one’s self, speaking, performing manual tasks, working, and sleeping.

Companies with 25 or more employees must avoid discriminatory hiring practices that ruleout hiring disabled individuals who can carry out the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation.

Mental Ability

Intelligence

Is the capacity to acquire and apply knowledge, including solving problems.

Is a major source of individual differences affecting job performance and behavior.

Is difficult to measure accurately.

The relative contributions of heredity and environment in fostering individual intelligence are in dispute.

Components of Intelligence

Standard Theory of Intelligence

Intelligence consists of general cognitive factors (g) and special factors (s) that contribute to problem-solving ability.

High scores on g are associated with good scholastic performance and success on the job.

Special factors contributing to overall mental aptitude:

The Triarchic Theory of Intelligence (Emphasis on Practical Intelligence)

Three mental ability subtypes:

Analytical

Traditional type of intelligence focused on problem solving involving abstract reasoning.

Creative

Intelligence needed for imagination and combining things in novel ways.

Practical

“Street smarts” needed to adapt to the environment.

The Triarchic Theory of Intelligence

Multiple Intelligences

Howard Gardner’s theory of mental abilities

People know and understand the world in different ways and through different lenses.

Individuals possess eight intelligences (faculties) to varying degrees which create distinct individual intelligence profiles that influence behaviors:

Personality Differences

Personality

Is the persistent and enduring behavior patterns of an individual as expressed in wide variety of situations.

Is regarded as the core of who a person is.

Personality factors are important to performance on the job and to performance as a team member.

Eight major personality factors and traits:

Psychological Types and Cognitive Styles(Myers-Briggs)

Cognitive style

Is the mental processes a person uses to perceive and make judgments from information.

Is defined by how a person gathers information and evaluates information (Carl Jung).

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Is a widely used test of personality and cognitive style.

Uses a four-way classification of cognitive styles:

Four Problem-Solving Styles andWork Match-Up

Emotional Intelligence

Concept of emotional intelligence

Understanding of one’s own feelings

Having empathy for others

Regulating emotions to enhance living

Key factors of emotional intelligence

Self-awareness

Self-regulation

Motivation

Empathy

Social skill