Much of the previous research on organizational performance deals with the larger businesses. As such, the owner/managers of small firms and researchers interested in small businesses have had to work with planning models which were not formulated with small businesses in mind. Therefore, the general purpose of this study is to help correct this deficiency and add to the body of knowledge concerning the contributions specific factors make toward increasing the performance of small firms. Specifically, selected managerial personality traits, managerial perceived environmental uncertainty, managerial scanning habits, and managerial goal setting activities are utilized to develop three models. The three models are used to determine the relationship the factors have to each other and the contribution the variables make toward the performance of the firm. The firms included in this study are located in a South Central metropolitan area. The firms have between 2 and 100 employees, sales of less than 3 million dollars, and have been in operation 2 years or longer. This study utilizes regression analysis and path analysis to determine the effects the factors have on each other and their contribution to the firm's performance. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSSx) is utilized to run the regression analysis. An Analysis of Linear Structural Relationships by the Method of Maximum Likelihood (LISREL) is utilized for the path analysis. Using path analysis, the third model demonstrates a total coefficient of determination for structural equations of 0.09. However, only two of the four factors have a t value of 2.0 or greater. The study also indicates the personality trait of dogmatism is inversely related to managerial scanning -.349 p <.01. Perceived environmental uncertainty is negatively correlated to performance at -.215 p <.05. None of the remaining factors demonstrated significant relationship to the firm's performance.

The primary purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of an intensive, in-service training program for modifying selected personality traits among para-professional counselor aides restricted to working with emotionally disturbed youth in a residential treatment center. Additionally, an attempt was made to identify the areas in which personality traits were modified, both between experimental and control groups and between males and females.

This investigation seeks to determine whether certain personality traits of college students are related to their smoking habits. The purpose of the study is to determine whether significant personality differences exist among college students who can be classified as light smokers, heavy smokers, ex-smokers, and nonsmokers and to determine the nature of the differences. The study involved four male experimental groups and four female experimental groups, assigned on the basis of sex and cigarette smoking habits as ascertained from a questionnaire. A total of 191 subjects from two junior colleges comprised the sample. The Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS), the Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSCS), and a questionnaire to obtain information on each subject's smoking habits were administered to the subjects at one sitting. Comparisons of the group means of each of the four classifications of smokers and nonsmokers were accomplished by a one-way analysis-of-variance design.

The incidence of bulimia seems to be increasing dramatically as actors, models, dancers, and college populations are seeking help for this eating disorder. In this study, the Adjective Checklist was administered to 21 bulimic women and 17 normal women to compare personality characteristics on the following scales: abasement, affiliation, autonomy, achievement, aggression, personal adjustment, succorance, and self-control. Results showed bulimic women scored higher on abasement and succorance. A multiple regression was performed which elucidated the scales responsible for the greatest amount of variance. These were aggression, autonomy, and self-control. Further studies of personality measures may aid in describing this population more fully.

This study is a description of selected personality characteristics of seventh- and eighth-grade girls and the changes that occur before and after a program of either aerobics (running) or anaerobics (calisthenics) conditioning exercises during the fall semester, 1973.

The problem in this study has a three-fold purpose: to evaluate the work performance, as ranked by employers and teachers, of a group of employed graduates of business education of the sunset high School of Dallas, Texas; to evaluate the personality traits demonstrated by the employees on the job in relation to the personality traits demonstrated in school; and to analyze these evaluations to secure suggestions for improving the course of study, including the amount of emphasis which should be placed on the various phases of the instructional program.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Motivation seems to be one of the important variables which might have an effect on creativity. It can have a positive but also a negative impact on creativity. In this thesis motivations of fine artists are examined and the extent to which art might effect personality profile of fine artists is considered. In theoretical part, firstly, art, forms of art and the psychology of art are defined. Further artwork as a product of artistic process, structure of personality and specifically the personality of fine artists are described. A complexity of creativity as a phenomenon is presented. Finally motivation from the social psychology of creativity point of view is explained. The aim of this master thesis is to examine certain psychosocial personality traits of fine artists by the Achievement Motivation Inventory LMI and discovered whether there are significant differences in personality traits of fine artists and control group of "non-artists" interested in economy and business (n=63). Our results support the foreign studies results and indicate that artists score significantly higher in Flow, Pride in Productivity and Independence. Contrary to foreign studies results examine creativity in people generally, our results suggest that fine artists score significantly higher in Competitiveness than...

La schizotypie est un trait de personnalité caractérisé par un niveau subclinique de symptômes de la schizophrénie, avec des caractéristiques dites positives (croyances et perceptions inhabituelles) ou négatives (retrait et anxiété sociale). Cette thèse a pour but de mieux comprendre comment la schizotypie s'articule avec d'autres dimensions psychopathologiques.Dans une première partie nous avons étudié les liens entre schizotypie et traits autistiques dans 2 populations d'étudiants scientifiques au moyen d'analyses par classification. Une première analyse sur la base des traits schizotypiques et autistiques a identifié 4 groupes avec des profils distincts, dont un cluster à haut niveau de traits. Cette combinaison de traits est associée à des signes de dégradation psychopathologique (symptômes anxieux et dépressifs, attachement insécurisé) et à de moindres performances académiques. Une deuxième étude propose une typologie des étudiants en fonction des traits schizotypique, autistique et cyclothymique. Cette typologie fait apparaître un cluster à hauts traits, avec un niveau élevé de symptômes de dépression et d'idéation suicidaire et de moindres résultats universitaires. Ces 2 études suggèrent donc que la combinaison de traits schizotypes et autistiques a une influence négative sur la réussite dans le domaine scientifique, en lien avec une comorbidité dépressive.La deuxième partie établit une typologie du jeune adulte afin de réexaminer le concept de "schizotypie saine", défini comme trait de schizotypie positive sans autre dimensions de la schizotypie. Nos résultats confirment que la shizotypie positive est associée à des bénéfices (e.g., qualité perçue des relations interpersonnelles) mais aussi à des traits de troubles de la personnalité et à des symptômes psychopathologiques, ce qui interpelle le concept de schizotypie saine. Dans une dernière étude nous avons identifié des biais illustrant l’impression que la schizotypie positive est plus saine qu’en réalité. / Schizotypy is a personality trait characterized by subclinical levels of schizophrenia symptoms, including positive (odd beliefs and unusual perceptions) or negative (withdrawal and social anxiety) features. This thesis aimed at a better understanding of how schizotypy articulates with other psychopathological dimensions.As a first part, we studied the links between schizotypy and autistic traits in 2 samples of scientific college students, using a cluster analysis. A first analysis based on schizotypal and autistic dimensions identified 4 groups with distinct profiles, including a cluster with high levels of traits. This combination of traits was associated with significant psychopathological degradation (anxiety and depressive symptoms, insecure attachment) and with lesser academic performances. A second study identified a typology of students based on schizotypal, autistic and cyclothymic traits. This typology showed a high traits cluster with elevated levels of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideations, and lesser academic results. These 2 studies thus suggest that association of schizotypal and autistic traits could impair success in scientific background, in relationship with a depressive comorbidity.The second part identified a typology of young adults aiming at reassessing the concept of "healthy schizotypy", defined as a trait of positive schizotypy without other schizotypal dimensions. Our results confirm that positive schizotypy is associated with benefits (e.g., perceived quality of interpersonal relations) but also with traits of personality disorders and psychopathological symptoms, which questions the concept of healthy schizotypy. In a last study we identified biases illustrating the impression that positive schizotypy may seem healthier than in reality.

A dificuldade de se planejar a carreira em um ambiente caracterizado pelo dinamismo e descontinuidade tem demandado a realização de estudos centrados em referenciais internos que possam contribuir com o autoconhecimento. Este estudo exploratório teve por objetivo aprofundar o entendimento sobre a adaptação à transição de carreira na meia-idade utilizando um constructo oriundo da Psicologia: o locus de controle. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa em que foram empregadas duas técnicas de investigação: um inventário de locus de controle e a entrevista semi-estruturada. Os relatos obtidos nas entrevistas foram transcritos para a utilização de técnicas de análise de conteúdo. A partir da análise dos resultados foram identificadas quais e como foram feitas as adaptações à transição de carreira na meia-idade, bem como formulada uma hipótese de pesquisa: o locus de controle interno facilita a adaptação às transições de carreira na meia-idade. / The difficulty in planning the career in an environment characterized by dynamism and disruption has demanded studies centered on personal internal references that may contribute to self-knowledge. The objective of this exploratory study was to deeply understand the adaptation to the career transition in the middle age by means of a psychological construct: the locus of control. A qualitative research, in which were used two investigation techniques: locus of control inventory and semistructured interview was carried out. The speeches from the interviews were transcribed, so that they could be submitted to content analysis techniques. From the analysis of the findings it was identified which and how the adaptations to the career transitions in the middle age occurred. Furthermore, a research hypothesis was stated: the internal locus of control facilitates the adaptation to the career transitions in the middle age.