Paper Example on Personality and Individual Differences

Introduction

There is still an unclear description of personality as a terminology. Majority of people perceive personality in various ways. Individuals may define and understand individuality depending on the context under which it applies. The character is currently one of the most elements of psychology that are under study. There are various aspects of behaviour that are subject to change while researchers consider others to be permanent. An individual's trait such as confidence and sociable reveal the permanent nature of the person. On the other hand, a state as a form of conduct defines the reactive character such as anger and anxiety. Personality is as such what describes a human being.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Personality has a relationship with motivation especially those of the staff. Executives of companies are increasingly considering their employees to be significant in the production levels of their businesses. Yulianti (2017) reveals that human capital has more influence on a firm's operations than financial inputs. Workers, therefore, require motivation for a business to maintain or realize high production. Impetus has different elements which depend on the personality of an employee. Motivation is a determining factor of the conduct of individuals. Inspiration can either be intrinsic or extrinsic (Yulianti, 2017). There are several theories that explain the individuality and differences in individuals. The theories are essential in making managers to understand the behaviours of their staff and as such, establish methods to regulate and inspire their workers. This essay intends to describe the concepts of personality in the perspectives of business and companies. The paper also attempts to evaluate and discuss the impacts of personality on the motivation of employees. Moreover, the report endeavours to establish an argument around the motivational hypothesis and discuss the implications of the essay study in the actual business environments.

Personality Theories

Traits continuously manifest themselves in an individual's life. The character has a relationship with the genetic and biological foundation. Personality effects depend on the situation and as such, are subject to variations which may alter the response of an individual. Monitoring traits for a period may help in determining behaviours. Individualist's theories consider several rules in their formulation. Stability traits of an individual are purportedly unwavering. Genetic base depends on the genetic structure. Generality considers characters to be situational and varying in different contexts while internationalism suggests that elements of a situation determine the response of individuals.

Stability

There are some traits in individuals that imply a constant nature of personality in a lifetime. The characters may, however, undergo alterations with the influence of lifestyle or personal progress. Guay et al. (2016) studies suggest that the changes fail to affect the overall behaviour but influence minor elements of conduct. Traits such as negative attitude and openness decrease while self-esteem and concurrences ability increases.

Genetic Base

Personality is an element of biological and genetic background. There are other aspects which are, however, elements of social and study environments. The link between genetic factors and trait is weak as the components of behaviours ate functional and are a reflection of life's objective (Johnson, Vernon, and Feiler, 2008).

Generality

There are assumptions that traits affect personality in a broad perspective. This concept is relative since stability manifests when comparing the conduct of different individuals and not by monitoring the deeds of one person. For instance, evaluating social characteristics may show talkative nature for an extrovert than an introvert individual.

Interactionism

There are mechanisms through which individualism and circumstances occur. This mechanism under which the components happen is what studies have shown to affect behaviours. Block (2010) suggests that components of personality affect the conduct of individuals more intensely in some situations than the impact they cause in other scenarios. The sensitivity and the response as such differ from one individual to another. For instance, sleep, stimulant intake and expectations from an activity determine the nature and degree of reaction of people to occurrences. Survey reveals that human beings feel comfortable in settings that tolerate their behaviours (Block, 2010). Moreover, surroundings contribute to the opportunities that are at the disposal of an individual and determine the manner in which they express themselves. As an example, a competitive background triggers a competitive reaction (Cloningers, 2009). Since individuals prefer environments that match their traits, individuals with competitive characters would search for aggressive surroundings.

The Five-Factor Model

Personality may also take five key elements. The factors that determine behaviours are in five main categories. The categories include negative emotionality, extraversion, and openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. The first element is neuroticism which describes confidence, optimism, and efficiency. High levels of neuroticism individuals are anxious, worrying, moody and sarcastic (Boyle, 2008). Extraversion traits include friendliness, sociability, aggressiveness, determination, and optimism. Boyle (2008) further states that the degree of openness indicates mildness, conservativeness for low-level traits while high-level traits have people who are imaginative, humorous, and insightful. Agreeableness traits at low levels are suspicious, pessimistic, argumentative, outspoken and unstable. High-level traits of openness consist of individuals who are forgiving, trusting, generous, and kind. Conscientiousness at low levels shows individuals who are confused, lazy, immature, moody and defensive (Block, 2010). A high level of thoroughness reveals a high degree of efficiency, resourcefulness, ambitiousness, determination, and persistence.

Individual Differences

Personality theories are appropriate in promoting an understanding of individual differences and variations in behaviours. Traits have a significant relationship with genetic and biological background and are, therefore, essential in influencing the elements of personality (Block, 2010). Personality differences affect creativity and the innovative ability of individuals. Negative emotionality behaviours are a result of stress and insecurity. Individuals who highly utilize social media tend to possess the extroversive character (Cloninger, 2009). Openness tends to drive an individual to an active investigation. Employees who have low levels of agreeableness tend to be critical in evaluating a phenomenon (Boyle, 2009). Employees with a high degree of conscientiousness put more efforts and persistence in searching for information.

Character traits and environment affect personality. The general aspect of individualism is essential in determining the overall behaviours. Cloninger (2009) illustrates contexts tend to regulate the effect of personality. A context such as collaborative aspects of a society has the ability to limit traits such as negative emotionality such as depression among the members (Noe, Tews, and Marand, 2013). Additionally, a demographic component such as gender is a determinant of individuality. Cloninger (2009 moreover reveals that the competence trait is subject to the gender of an individual. Confidence in literacy levels depends on the individual's behaviour within a certain duty.

Motivational Theories

Employees of any organization have the potential to influence the production process by either improving or limiting the practice. Motivation is an element that describes and attempts to explain the reasons behind an individual's behaviour (Mihai, 2014). Employee motivation entails incentives which can be financial or non-financial which may drive the workers to develop a certain form of conduct aimed at realizing the established goals and mission of a company. Managers who understand the cause of individual's behaviours, the reason for preferences of certain deeds and the reasons for persistence in executing certain processes can discover the motivations of their staff. The actions of workers rely on the abilities and motivation as the driving factor towards achieving specific objectives and realization of their prospects.

There are various needs and expectations of human beings specifically workers which require varying approaches to suit them. The prospects include psychological, social, extrinsic or intrinsic needs (Mihai, 2014). Intrinsic motivation is a type that develops within oneself and explains the behaviour of an individual. Mihai (2014) gives an instance where responsibility makes an individual to value their occupations and makes them possess control over their property. Mihai (2014) argues that intrinsic inspiration is likely to have a long-term influence since it is independent of the external factors. Extrinsic driving force involves external determinants of motivation. Incentives such as allowances and ranks promotion improve motivation. Negative aspects such as criticism and pay cuts lower the morale of the staff. The external drive may be beneficial to the productivity of companies in the short term. The long-term impacts on employees' behaviours at workplaces weaken. There are several theories that attempt to enable managers to inspire their workers. These hypotheses include the context-oriented and the process-oriented assumptions.

Content Oriented Theories

These are the hypothesis that attempts to explain an individual's behaviours basing on the aspects of needs. The laws describe the factors that motivate workers and give an account of their actions. The divisions include Maslow's hierarchy of needs, McClelland's model and Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Human beings and as such workers have a habit requiring more even as they achieve what one can perceive to be sufficient. The wants depend on the resources that are already in possession of an individual and the significance of the resources. The satisfaction of one stage of needs initiates the motivation to work towards achieving the next superior category of wants (Mihai, 2014). Psychological needs include food, rest and other basic wants in human life. Providing wedge and other pay that can meet the staff's basic requirements can motivate the employees to remain in a certain company. Rest from work which may include off-days from work can also improve the morale of the individuals on returning to work. The security needs to offer protection to the staff. Employers need to provide ways of ensuring the health welfare through medical insurances. The assurance of retirement benefits such as pension schemes can motivate employees who realise the safety of their old ages. Mihai (2014) additionally illustrates that the stability of an occupation encourages an individual to offer maximum productivity. It is therefore essential for the management of companies to reduce the turnover rates in their businesses. The Affiliation needs constitute social aspects within an institution. The activities such as group interactions and work-related acquaintance may promote the loyalty from the staff and as such, ensuring high productivity (Jerome, 2013). Appreciation and respect requirements also inspire workers to aim towards the company's vision and mission (Acevedo, 2018). The executives who command the actions and efforts of their staff enhance driving force at work. Increase in earnings is also likely to give the employees a reason to increase the...