This study explored psychopathic personality traits among a non-criminal, college undergraduate sample. Much research has been done on conceptualizing the construct of psychopathy, but this work has been conducted primarily with incarcerated individuals using a structured interview, The Psychopathy Checklist – Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 1991, 2003). The goal of the current study was to assess psychopathic traits among non-criminal individuals using The Self-Report Psychopathy Scale - Version Four (SRP-IV; Paulhus, Neumann, & Hare, in press), and compare how SRP-IV scores were associated with a well recognized semi-structured interview for psychopathy, The Psychopathy Checklist – Screening Version (PCL: SV; Hart, Cox, & Hare, 1995). The study also examined whether psychopathic personality traits could be predicted using a measure of normal-range personality, based on the five-factor model (FFM; Digman, 1990), and a measure developed by Loevinger (1976) related to ego development. Five-Factor Model Rating Form (FFMRF; Mullins-Sweat, Jamerson, Samuel, Olson, & Widiger, 2006) scores and Total Protocol Ratings (TPR score) on the Washington University Sentence Completion Test (WUSCT; Hy & Loevinger, 1996) were used to predict psychopathy scores. Correlations of SRP-IV scores and PCL: SV scores with FFMRF scores and WUSCT TPR scores were also examined for their uniformity. As predicted, there were significant, negative correlations between FFM domains, Agreeableness and Conscientious, and SRP-IV scores, as well as significant, negative correlations between WUSCT TPR scores and SRP-IV scores. These correlations ranged from small to strong for both SRP-IV overall scores and for SRP-IV factor scores (i.e., Interpersonal Manipulation, Callous Affect, Erratic Lifestyle, and Criminal Tendencies). Additionally, FFM domain scores and WUSCT TPR scores significantly predicted SRP-IV scores. FFM domains, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness, and WUSCT TPR scores, were the strongest predictors of SRP-IV scores. Similar results were found when FFM domain scores and WUSCT TPR scores predicted SRP-IV factor scores. Results also indicated Agreeableness and Conscientious explained an additional 24% of the variance in psychopathy scores, after controlling for WUSCT TPR scores. Conversely, WUSCT TPR scores explained an additional 5% of the variance in psychopathy scores after controlling for Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. Finally, as predicted, the differences in correlations between psychopathy scores (i.e., PCL: SV, SRP-IV), and Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and WUSCT TPR scores were not statistically significant providing evidence that correlates of psychopathic traits can be measured among non-criminal individuals using a self-report measure, the SRP-IV, and that these findings are concordant with those based on a standardized structured assessment for psychopathy. Limitations of the study, implications, and recommendations for future research are also discussed.

A stable and healthy personality is a requirement to deal effectively with the different stressors and demands that are part and parcel of a profession in education. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to ensure that prospective teachers present well balanced personality profiles, which will enable them to become good teachers. Against the abovementioned background, this research study had the aim to: • by means of a literature study, determine the criteria that are generally used in the selection process of prospective education students nationally and internationally, and to determine the role and function of a personality assessment in the selection of prospective education students; • by means of a literature study, determine the characteristics of the desired personality profile of a teacher by applying the Five Factor Model of personality; • empirically determine the characteristics of the personality profiles of full-time registered education students at a higher education institution; • empirically determine whether there are differences between the personality profiles of 1) male and female education students; 2) education students in the different education phases; 3) education students with different home languages; 4) education students at different academic levels; and 5) education students who indicated education as first choice of study, and those who did not; and • to determine what the application possibility of the NEO-FFI is in the selection of prospective education students. The literature study produced the following results: • Academic criteria are mostly used in selecting education students, nationally and internationally and personality assessment does not play a role in the selection of education students in South Africa. • The desired personality profile of teachers, according to the Five Factor Model of personality, renders low scores on Neuroticism and high scores on Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. The empirical study produced the following results: • The group of education students generally presented the characteristics of the theoretical preferred personality profile with regard to Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness, but they presented relatively low mean raw scores for Openness to Experience. • No meaningful differences were found between the personality profiles of education students with regard to the education phase, home language, academic year and education as study choice, however, there were meaningful differences between male and female education students pertaining Agreeableness, where female education students presented higher mean raw scores than their male counterparts. Stanines were calculated to develop norms which can be used for personality assessment in the selection of prospective education students. Gender-specific norms were developed for this purpose. On grounds of the results of the investigation, it is recommended that personality assessment form an integral part of the selection process of prospective education students and that the NEO-FFI appears to be fruitful in this regard. / Thesis (MEd (Educational Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

A stable and healthy personality is a requirement to deal effectively with the different stressors and demands that are part and parcel of a profession in education. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to ensure that prospective teachers present well balanced personality profiles, which will enable them to become good teachers. Against the abovementioned background, this research study had the aim to: • by means of a literature study, determine the criteria that are generally used in the selection process of prospective education students nationally and internationally, and to determine the role and function of a personality assessment in the selection of prospective education students; • by means of a literature study, determine the characteristics of the desired personality profile of a teacher by applying the Five Factor Model of personality; • empirically determine the characteristics of the personality profiles of full-time registered education students at a higher education institution; • empirically determine whether there are differences between the personality profiles of 1) male and female education students; 2) education students in the different education phases; 3) education students with different home languages; 4) education students at different academic levels; and 5) education students who indicated education as first choice of study, and those who did not; and • to determine what the application possibility of the NEO-FFI is in the selection of prospective education students. The literature study produced the following results: • Academic criteria are mostly used in selecting education students, nationally and internationally and personality assessment does not play a role in the selection of education students in South Africa. • The desired personality profile of teachers, according to the Five Factor Model of personality, renders low scores on Neuroticism and high scores on Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. The empirical study produced the following results: • The group of education students generally presented the characteristics of the theoretical preferred personality profile with regard to Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness, but they presented relatively low mean raw scores for Openness to Experience. • No meaningful differences were found between the personality profiles of education students with regard to the education phase, home language, academic year and education as study choice, however, there were meaningful differences between male and female education students pertaining Agreeableness, where female education students presented higher mean raw scores than their male counterparts. Stanines were calculated to develop norms which can be used for personality assessment in the selection of prospective education students. Gender-specific norms were developed for this purpose. On grounds of the results of the investigation, it is recommended that personality assessment form an integral part of the selection process of prospective education students and that the NEO-FFI appears to be fruitful in this regard. / Thesis (MEd (Educational Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Organizational commitment has been linked to several important outcomes, including employee turnover and work performance. Despite that the antecedents of organizational commitment have been a subject of research for several decades, the relation between personality and organizational commitment is relatively unexplored. The aim of this study was to examine the relations between the personality traits in the five-factor model (Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, Openness to Experience, and Extraversion) and organizational commitment. Personality was measured by the IPIP30 questionnaire. Three types of organizational commitment (affective commitment, continuance commitment, and normative commitment) were measured by the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire. The respondents (N = 303) consisted of workers from both the public and the private sector in Sweden. Multiple linear regression analyzes showed that Conscientiousness was statistically significantly related to affective commitment. Agreeableness, Neuroticism, and Extraversion were statistically significantly related to continuance commitment. Practical implications of the results as well as future research directions are discussed.

Objectivity is often emphasized as one of the fundamental principles for the auditing profession and is also a requirement for preserving satisfactory professional practice. The multiple company scandals in the first decade of the 21st century have created distrust for auditors’ capability to maintain objectivity. The purpose of this study is to contribute with a new way of thinking when it comes to the factors that affect objectivity. Earlier studies have indicated that personality factors may affect work performance in many different fields and this study is exploring the connection between separate personality factors, and the capability of less experienced auditors to maintain objectivity in the relationship with dominating and demanding clients. Data was collected through a survey that was divided into two separate parts where the first part measured the participant’s score on different personality factors, and the other part measured the participant’s score on perceived objectivity. 133 subjects participated in the study and these subjects were divided into non-authorized or non-approved auditors and recently authorized or approved auditors. The result of the study did not indicate any significant connection between perceived objectivity and the different personality factors. However, there was a statistically significant connection between authorization and perceived objectivity. Non-authorized and non-approved auditors in the study tended to score higher on perceived objectivity than did their authorized counterparts. In order to regain the trust for auditors and to strengthen the role of the profession it is important to increase objectivity. The surprising evidence supplied by this study creates a curiosity and urge to further investigate the factors affecting objectivity, especially in combination with possible psychological aspects. This study is unique because it focuses strictly on individual instead of contextual factors and it thereby contributes to the literature about the influence of individual factors as well as to the study of objectivity among auditors. This is a step towards greater understanding of the factors that actually affect objectivity and, as a consequence, also affect the quality of the audit as a control mechanism. / Objektivitet framhålls ofta som en av de grundläggande principerna för revisorsyrket samt ett krav för att upprätthålla god yrkessed. Det tidiga 2000-talets stora företagsskandaler har dock skapat en misstro till revisorer som yrkesgrupp och har dessutom föranlett ett tvivel gentemot revisorers objektivitet. Avsikten med denna studie är att bidra med nya tankebanor kring vad som skulle kunna påverka objektiviteten. Tidigare studier har indikerat att personlighetsfaktorer kan påverka arbetsprestationen inom vitt skilda branscher och denna studie undersöker sambandet mellan olika personlighetsfaktorer och mindre erfarna revisorers förmåga att bibehålla objektiviteten i relationen med dominerande och krävande klienter. Data till studien samlades in genom en tvådelad enkät där en del mätte personligheten och den andra delen mätte graden av objektivitet. I studien deltog 133 respondenter fördelat på revisorsassistenter, revisorer som varken är auktoriserade eller godkända samt revisorer som har auktoriserats det senaste året. Resultatet av studien påvisar inte några signifikanta samband mellan graden av objektivitet och de studerade personlighetsfaktorerna. Istället påvisades ett signifikant samband mellan auktorisation och graden av objektivitet. Revisorer som varken var godkända eller auktoriserade visade i studien tendenser till högre grad av objektivitet än sina auktoriserade kollegor. I fråga om att vinna tillbaka förtroendet för revisorerna och att stärka deras yrkesroll är det viktigt att öka graden av objektivitet. Informationen som den här studien ger är överraskande och skapar framför allt en nyfikenhet och forskarlust att gräva djupare i objektivitetens påverkansfaktorer, och då i synnerhet i kombination med tänkbara psykologiska aspekter. Denna studie är unik då den i allra högsta grad fokuserar på individfaktorer istället för kontextuella faktorer och därmed bidrar till litteraturen om individfaktorers påverkan såväl som till studiet av objektivitet hos revisorer.  Detta är ett led i förståelsen av vilka faktorer som faktiskt har inverkan på objektivitet och därmed också har inverkan på kvaliteten hos revisionen som kontrollfunktion.

Tidigare forskning menar att det äldsta syskonet anses vara mer auktoritärt, det mellersta barnet minst familjeorienterat och det yngsta barnet mer socialt. Uppväxten kan påverka individens KASAM. Studien undersöker om syskonplacering samverkar med människors KASAM, personlighet utifrån femfaktormodellen samt ser till eventuella könsskillnader. Urvalet bestod av högskolestudenter, varav 145 kvinnor och 80 män. Enkätens material analyserades med tvåvägs variansanalyser. Studien uppvisade ingen signifikant skillnad mellan de tre syskonplaceringarna. En tendens till signifikant interaktion visades mellan könen, där kvinnliga mellanbarn har lägre KASAM än de manliga. Studien visade två signifikanta könsskillnader mellan kvinnor och män. Kvinnorna var mer neurotiska och samvetsgranna än männen. Resultatet uppvisade en tendens till signifikans, gällande att kvinnor hade högre grad av personlighetfaktorn öppenhet än männen. Slutligen konstaterades att syskonplaceringen inte samverkar med individens personlighet eller KASAM, men att det finns vissa personlighetsskillnader mellan könen. Resultatet kan bero på brister i studien, som att familjekonstellation inte tillfrågades deltagarna.

Ausgehend von den klassischen vier Paradigmen zur Messung individueller Differenzen wird die dominierende variablenzentrierte Forschungsausrichtung in der Differentiellen Psychologie hinterfragt und dafür plädiert, diese um einen personenzentrierten Ansatz zu ergänzen. Die Operationalisierung des personenzentrierten Zugangs erfolgt durch einen Prototypenansatz, der auf dem Fünf-Faktoren-Modell der Persönlichkeit basiert und dessen Potential und Grenzen in dieser Arbeit untersucht wurden. Zuerst wurde die Anzahl der Prototypen untersucht und diese Prototypenlösung anschließend validiert. Die auf Basis von zwei bevölkerungsrepräsentativen Stichproben sowie einer umfangreichen Internetstichprobe durchgeführten Analysen konnten übereinstimmend zeigen, dass anhand der ausgewählten multiplen Entscheidungskriterien eine Fünf-Cluster Lösung anderen Clusterlösungen vorzuziehen ist. Die Replizierbarkeit der Prototypen über unterschiedliche Stichproben verschiedenen Alters, Geschlechts, regionaler Herkunft, Bildungshintergrund, sozioökonomischem Status, Gesundheit (Allgemeinbevölkerung, Patientenstichproben), Erhebungsinstrumente (Selbst- und Fremdbeurteilungsverfahren, Fragebogen, Adjektivlisten, Papier-Bleistift-Verfahren und internetbasiert) und Extraktionsverfahren (Clusteranalyse, Mischverteilungsmodelle) zeigt, dass Persönlichkeitstypen eine Möglichkeit der Klassifikation von Personen nach der Ähnlichkeit ihrer Persönlichkeitsprofile darstellen. In vier Validierungsstudien konnten die Befunde zu emotionalen, kognitiven, verhaltensbezogenen und gesundheitsbezogenen Unterschieden zwischen den Prototypen im Erwachsenenalter repliziert und erweitert werden. Wie im Kindes- und Jugendalter zeigt auch der resiliente Prototyp im Erwachsenenalter die beste psychosoziale Anpassung. Für den über- und unterkontrollierten Prototyp lassen sich die Befunde einer hohen psychischen Belastung ebenfalls ins Erwachsenenalter übertragen. Der zuversichtliche und der reservierte Prototyp nehmen eine mittlere Position im Kontinuum der psychosozialen Anpassung zwischen dem resilienten und dem über- und dem unterkontrollierten Prototyp ein. Weiterhin wurden der variablenzentrierte und der personenzentrierten Ansatz hinsichtlich seiner Prädiktionsleistung verglichen. Anhand von zwei umfangreichen und heterogenen Stichproben konnten konsistente Zusammenhänge zwischen der Zugehörigkeit zu einem Persönlichkeitsprototyp und einer Vielzahl relevanter Straßenverkehrskriterien bestätigt werden. Abschließend wurde das Potential der Prototypen als Moderatoren geprüft. Es konnte demonstriert werden, dass die Prototypen den Zusammenhang zwischen dem CRP-Wert und der täglich verwendeten Dosis Prednisolon zur Behandlung der Symptome einer rheumatoiden Arthritis moderieren.

There is relatively little research based on the Big Five personality dimensions and job satisfaction and the relationship thereof. Job satisfaction of employees is a good indication of organisational effectiveness and is influenced by organisational and dispositional factors. The fundamental nature of the dispositional approach is that individuals have stable traits that significantly influence their affective and behavioural reactions to organisational settings. Job satisfaction can be considered a general feeling of well-being experienced by any employee about the work he or she does or as a related collection of attitudes about various aspects of the job. Employees, who perform at higher levels, will most likely make a greater contribution in the organisation. These individual's are more likely to achieve greater status; thus the importance of having satisfied employees in any organisation. The general objective of this study was to determine the relationship between personality dimensions and job satisfaction of engineers in a petro-chemical organisation. A cross-sectional survey design was used in the empirical study. The sample consisted of 89 junior to middle level engineers within a petro-chemical organisation. The Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) and the Personality Characteristics Inventory (PCI) were administered. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Cronbach alpha coefficients, inter-item correlation coefficients and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess the reliability and validity of the measuring instruments. Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients were used to specify the relationships between the variables. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine which personality dimensions were the best predictors of job satisfaction. The current research found that employees who are more stable and introverted tend to be more satisfied with achievement, independence as well as human and technical supervision at the work place. It was also established that extraverted and sociable individuals in the organization are less satisfied with human supervision. The findings of this research showed that some personality dimensions are related to aspects of job satisfaction However, overall personality dimensions explained relatively small percentages in the variance of job satisfaction. Because of this, the situational frame of reference, which is most common at present within the workplace, as well as the frame of reference that most supports this research, job satisfaction/dissatisfaction, is alleged to result from the nature of the job or h m the conditions at work. This basically epitomizes the effects of situational forces on workers' job attitudes. The results showed that subscales predicted job satisfaction to a greater extent than personality dimensions. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

There is relatively little research based on the Big Five personality dimensions and job satisfaction and the relationship thereof. Job satisfaction of employees is a good indication of organisational effectiveness and is influenced by organisational and dispositional factors. The fundamental nature of the dispositional approach is that individuals have stable traits that significantly influence their affective and behavioural reactions to organisational settings. Job satisfaction can be considered a general feeling of well-being experienced by any employee about the work he or she does or as a related collection of attitudes about various aspects of the job. Employees, who perform at higher levels, will most likely make a greater contribution in the organisation. These individual's are more likely to achieve greater status; thus the importance of having satisfied employees in any organisation. The general objective of this study was to determine the relationship between personality dimensions and job satisfaction of engineers in a petro-chemical organisation. A cross-sectional survey design was used in the empirical study. The sample consisted of 89 junior to middle level engineers within a petro-chemical organisation. The Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) and the Personality Characteristics Inventory (PCI) were administered. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Cronbach alpha coefficients, inter-item correlation coefficients and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess the reliability and validity of the measuring instruments. Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients were used to specify the relationships between the variables. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine which personality dimensions were the best predictors of job satisfaction. The current research found that employees who are more stable and introverted tend to be more satisfied with achievement, independence as well as human and technical supervision at the work place. It was also established that extraverted and sociable individuals in the organization are less satisfied with human supervision. The findings of this research showed that some personality dimensions are related to aspects of job satisfaction However, overall personality dimensions explained relatively small percentages in the variance of job satisfaction. Because of this, the situational frame of reference, which is most common at present within the workplace, as well as the frame of reference that most supports this research, job satisfaction/dissatisfaction, is alleged to result from the nature of the job or h m the conditions at work. This basically epitomizes the effects of situational forces on workers' job attitudes. The results showed that subscales predicted job satisfaction to a greater extent than personality dimensions. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Abstract The aim of this study was to understand the relationships among the personality traits, risk attitudes, risk management practices, and decision making processes of dairy farmers in SE Queensland. Risk management and decision making processes are two of many components of managerial ability. The hypothesis was proposed that dairy farmers’ personalities influence their risk attitudes, decision making processes, and risk management abilities. Case studies of 46 dairy farmers in SE Queensland involving the completion of personality inventories (NEO-PI-R) based on the Five-Factor Model of personality; questionnaires and informal interviews were used to test the hypotheses. The thesis contains three parts. The first part, Chapter 1, is the introduction to the thesis. The second part of the thesis, Chapter 2 through Chapter 6, consists of an extensive review of the literature on the major topics pertinent to the project. In Chapter 2, a definition of “competence” in the context of this study is given, and an explanation of the evidence for a connection between personality and competence and thus job performance is detailed. In Chapter 3, the literature on personality is reviewed with particular emphasis on trait theory and the development of the Five-Factor Model of personality (FFM). In Chapter 4, the literature review on personality assessment using testing instruments designed for use in the context of the FFM is presented, and the rationale for the personality test instrument is expounded. It is the task of the manager to manage risk, so that considering risk attitude when making decisions is also an integral part of the study of the role of managers. Chapter 5 reviews the contemporary literature on risk and risk management with an emphasis on the application of risk management principles to dairy farms. In Chapter 6, the literature on decision theory is reviewed. Decision-making and risk management are intertwined. The behaviour resulting from the process of making a decision reflects the personality and risk attitude of the decision-maker. In this chapter, the distinction is made between formal and informal models of decision making, and examples are given. The third part of the project comprises Chapters 7 through Chapter 11. Chapter 7 outlines the research approach used – case studies - and paves the way for the following two chapters, which present a qualitative and a quantitative analysis of the data from the case studies. Chapter 8 presents part 1 of the investigation - the qualitative analysis of the case studies. This chapter introduces and explains the terminology used in the questionnaire and examines the trends and feeling in the farmers’ answers. Chapter 9 presents part 2 of the analysis – quantitative results of the personality assessments and interviews from the case studies with SE Queensland dairy farmers which were conducted to assess their risk management and decision making abilities. Chapter 10 provides a summary of the research findings, and then discusses the results with respect to the diverse responses of farmers to common external pressures. The chapter discusses the relevance of personality to the formation of management strategy and concludes with a short introduction to systems thinking as a way of thinking about the complex systems inherent in dairy farming. Chapter 11 reviews the subjects covered in the thesis and draws conclusions from the research. It outlines implications for policy makers and managers and proposes directions for further research in this area of investigation. Key Words: Five-Factor Model of Personality, risk, decision making processes, dairy farmers, management