Ch 5: Personality & Social Behavior in Organizations
About This Chapter
Personality & Social Behavior in Organizations - Chapter Summary
While studying these engaging lessons, you'll heighten your knowledge of personality and social behavior in organizations. For example, our educators help you better understand the personality-job fit theory. This chapter can also refresh your knowledge of Type B personality traits in the workplace. After reviewing the lessons, you should be able to do the following with confidence:
- Discuss use of personality traits to predict workplace behavior
- Recall the big five personality traits
- List weaknesses of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality framework
- Provide an overview of Machiavellianism in organizations
- Recount characteristics of narcissism in organizations
- Explain the effects of taking risks in organizations
- Detail characteristics of Type A personalities
Our instructors developed these convenient video lessons to help you easily grasp concepts related to personality and social behavior in organizations. There are video transcripts that can be used to study offline, and vocabulary words are highlighted for quick reference. After studying, you'll want to test your knowledge with a brief quiz that's available for each lesson.

1. Intro to Personality
The way a person behaves, thinks, and feels shapes their personality. Delve into how personalities are formed, and the differences between personality traits, disorders, and states.

2. Personality-Job Fit Theory: Using Traits to Predict Workplace Behavior
Personality-job fit theory argues that organizations and individuals have specific personality traits, and when organizations' employees share their traits, the organization is more productive and employees are more satisfied. Explore the definition of personality-job fit theory and using traits to predict workplace behavior. Review examples to understand how job fit issues develop, how personality-job fit is calculated, and how to fix personality-job fit problems.

3. The Big Five Personality Traits & Workplace Behavior
Personality is loosely defined as 'a relatively stable set of characteristics that influence an individual's behavior', and according to the Big Five Personality Model, there are five observable personality traits. Dive deeper into each of these five traits (openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism, or 'O.C.E.A.N.') and learn what each has to do with workplace behavior.

4. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Personality Framework: Strengths & Weaknesses
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is an instrument used in career counseling, developing management styles, team building, and conflict management. Learn more about the history of the MBTI, its strengths and weaknesses, and the four main scales of the personality framework: extraversion/introversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling and judging/perceiving.

5. Machiavellianism in Organizations: Justifying the Means by the Ends
Machiavellianism, also known as Mach, is described as the use of manipulation and any necessary means to gain power. Explore the high Mach and low Mach orientations in organizations and learn about their advantages and disadvantages in the workplace.

6. Narcissism in Organizations: Definition, Characteristics & Effects on the Workplace
Narcissism is defined as displaying excessive self-interested behavior often characterized by an exaggerated sense of one's own abilities, a constant need for affirmation, and a lack of empathy for others. Learn about narcissism in organizations, the definition & characteristics of narcissism, the effects of narcissism on the workplace, and how employers can use personality tests to prevent hiring narcissist employees.

7. Risk Takers in Business: Description & Effects on Organizational Behavior
Business managers or supervisors who tolerate uncertainty and enjoy making decisions that have the greater potential for loss are considered risk-takers. Learn about the definition and description of risk-takers, the characteristics of risk-takers, risk-averse versus risk-taking managers, and the effects of risk taking on business organizational behavior.

8. Type A and Type B Personalities in Organizations: Definition & Characteristics
People with Type A personality traits tend to be more forceful, while people with Type B personality traits tend to be more relaxed. Learn about the definition and characteristics of each personality type and how these personalities function in organizations. Review examples of investigations to understand each personality type and organizational roles best suited to each type.
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Other Chapters
Other chapters within the DSST Organizational Behavior: Study Guide & Test Prep course
- The History & Evolution of Organizational Behavior
- Research Methods in Organizational Psychology
- Management Roles & Functions
- Overview of Individual Behavior
- Emotions & Moods in Organizations
- Overview of Attitudes & Values in the Workplace
- Managing Workplace Stress
- Ethics in the Workplace
- Perception & Attributional Bias in Organizational Behavior
- Learning in the Workplace
- Understanding Employee Motivation
- Individual Decision Making
- Introduction to Workforce Diversity
- Organizational Communication in the Workplace
- Groups, Teams & Group Decision Making
- Managing Conflict in the Workplace
- The Nature of Leadership in Organizational Behavior
- Leadership Theories & Styles in Organizational Behavior
- How Organizations are Structured & Designed
- Introduction to Organizational Culture
- Overview of Organizational Change
- Global Implications of Organizational Behavior
- DSST Informational Resources
- DSST Organizational Behavior Flashcards