Chapter 3

Guanqing Zhou

OB MGMT 6403

02/06/2014

Chapter 3

1. What are the individual differences, and why should managers understand them?

Individual differences are the way in which factors such as skills, abilities, personalities, perceptions, attitudes, values, and ethics differ from one individual to another. Managers’ understanding of employees’ individual differences can help them work with others better. For example, manage can group employees according to their personalities, thus could improve their working efficiency.

2. Define personality and describe its origins.

Personality is defined as a relatively stable set of characteristics that influence an individual’s behavior. One determinant of personality is heredity. Evidence indicates that genes significantly influence personality. The other key determinant of personality is the environment to which a person is exposed. Individual life experience shape who we become.

3. Describe two theories of personality and explain what each contributes to our knowledge of personality.

Two major theories of personality are the trait theory and the integrative approach. The trait theory is the personality theory that states that to understand individuals, we must dissect behavior patterns into a series of observable traits. The trait approach such as the Big Five has been the subject of considerable criticism. We characterize people according to different personalities. The integrative approach is a broad theory that describes personality as a composite of an individual’s psychological processes. This theory considers both person (dispositions) and situational variables as combined predictors of behavior.

5. What factors influence social perception? What are the barriers to social perception?

Factors | Barriers |

Characteristics of the perceiver | Characteristics of the target | Characteristics of the situation | |

* Familiarity with target * Attitudes * Mood * Self-concept *...