The objective of this exploratory study was to conceptualise the constructs of psychological optimality in order to derive a definition of the concept and to compile a personality profile of the psychologically optimal individual. A sample of 200 employees in a large electricity utility were randomly selected. A psychometric battery comprising seven questionnaires was compiled and administered. The empirical investigation revealed four factors as indicative of psychological optimality. The factors comprise lntrapersonal dimensions, namely successful coping in stressful situations, an internal locus of control, and Interpersonal dimensions, namely interpersonal sensitivity and a commitment to society. It seems that work behaviour would be largely determined by the intra- and interpersonal behaviours. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie ondersoek handel oor die psigometriese verwantskappe tussen verskeie konseptualiserings van psigologiese optimaliteit. Die konsepte selfaktualisering (vanuit 'n humanistiese raamwerk), gevoel van koherensie en aangeleerde vernuftigheid (vanuit 'n behavioristiese en salutogenesis paradigma) is vir die doeleindes van hierdie ondersoek gekies. Die gekose meetinstrumente, naamlik die Persoonlike Orientasievraelys vir selfaktualisering, die Lewensorientasievraelys vir gevoel van koherensie en die Selfkontroleskedule vir aangeleerde vernuftigheid, is op 'n steekproef van 200 middelvlakbestuurders in 'n semi-staatsdiensorganisasie afgeneem. Pearsonkorrelasiekoeffisiente is bereken en 'n faktorontleding is gedoen. Daar is verskeie beduidende korrelasies verkry tussen die subskale van die Persoonlike Orientasievraelys en die Lewensorientasievraelys, maar slegs enkele beduidende korrelasies tussen die Persoonlike Orientasievraelys en die Selfkontroleskedule. Die Lewensorientasievraelys en die Selfkontroleskedule het egter beduidend gekorreleer. Die faktorontleding het getoon dat selfaktualisering aan die een kant, en gevoel van koherensie en aangeleerde vernuftigheid aan die ander kant as twee verskillende konstrukte van psigologiese optimaliteit beskou kan word. / The relationships between various conceptualisations of psychological optimisation are investigated. The concepts of self-actualisation (from a humanistic paradigm), sense of coherence and learned resourcefulness (from a salutogenesis paradigm) are relevant. The measuring instruments were the Personal Orientation Inventory (POl), the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ) and the Self Control Schedule (SCS). They were administered by means of random sampling of 200 middle level managers in a semi-government organisation. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated and a factor analysis was done. Several significant correlations were obtained between the subscales of the POl and the OLQ, but limited correlations were found between the POl and the SCS. However, significant correlations between the OLQ and the SCS were apparent. The factor analysis demonstrated that self-actualisation on the one hand and sense of coherence as well as learned resourcefulness on the other hand may be regarded as two seperate constructs of psychological optimisation. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / Thesis (M.Com.)--Universiteit van Suid Afrika, 1994.

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie ondersoek handel oor die psigometriese verwantskappe tussen verskeie konseptualiserings van psigologiese optimaliteit. Die konsepte selfaktualisering (vanuit 'n humanistiese raamwerk), gevoel van koherensie en aangeleerde vernuftigheid (vanuit 'n behavioristiese en salutogenesis paradigma) is vir die doeleindes van hierdie ondersoek gekies. Die gekose meetinstrumente, naamlik die Persoonlike Orientasievraelys vir selfaktualisering, die Lewensorientasievraelys vir gevoel van koherensie en die Selfkontroleskedule vir aangeleerde vernuftigheid, is op 'n steekproef van 200 middelvlakbestuurders in 'n semi-staatsdiensorganisasie afgeneem. Pearsonkorrelasiekoeffisiente is bereken en 'n faktorontleding is gedoen. Daar is verskeie beduidende korrelasies verkry tussen die subskale van die Persoonlike Orientasievraelys en die Lewensorientasievraelys, maar slegs enkele beduidende korrelasies tussen die Persoonlike Orientasievraelys en die Selfkontroleskedule. Die Lewensorientasievraelys en die Selfkontroleskedule het egter beduidend gekorreleer. Die faktorontleding het getoon dat selfaktualisering aan die een kant, en gevoel van koherensie en aangeleerde vernuftigheid aan die ander kant as twee verskillende konstrukte van psigologiese optimaliteit beskou kan word. / The relationships between various conceptualisations of psychological optimisation are investigated. The concepts of self-actualisation (from a humanistic paradigm), sense of coherence and learned resourcefulness (from a salutogenesis paradigm) are relevant. The measuring instruments were the Personal Orientation Inventory (POl), the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ) and the Self Control Schedule (SCS). They were administered by means of random sampling of 200 middle level managers in a semi-government organisation. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated and a factor analysis was done. Several significant correlations were obtained between the subscales of the POl and the OLQ, but limited correlations were found between the POl and the SCS. However, significant correlations between the OLQ and the SCS were apparent. The factor analysis demonstrated that self-actualisation on the one hand and sense of coherence as well as learned resourcefulness on the other hand may be regarded as two seperate constructs of psychological optimisation. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / Thesis (M.Com.)--Universiteit van Suid Afrika, 1994.

Two studies were conducted to measure positive personality change expected to occur during four years of a self-actualizing program. The first study computed inter correlations among the scales of the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI) for students in the Psychology and English Departments of a Spanish-speaking college, which were then compared with those reported in the test manual. Generally, correlations were greater than those in the manual, which suggested possible influence by the humanistic and Christian philosophy of the college. The second study examined the effect of training for self-actualization and personality growth on the behavior of a group of psychology teacher-trainees. Results indicated that subjects in the treatment conditions improved significantly in their levels of self-actualization as measured by the Time Competency and Inner-directedness scales of the POI.

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie verhandeling fokus op persoonlikheid. selfaktualisering en toesighouersvaardighede. as voorspellers van toesighouersukses. Persoonlikheid en selfaktualisering word vanuit die dimensionele en humanistiese persoonlikheidsteoriee en toesighouersvaardighede vanuit die bestuurpsigologie beskryf. 'n Psigometriese toetsbattery is saamgestel uit drie instrumente wat onderskeidelik persoonlikheid (16 PF Vraelys), selfaktualisering (Persoonlike Orientasie-inventaris) en toesighouersvaardigheid (Posmandjie) evalueer. Vir die doel van hierdie navorsing, is toesighouersukses (volgens prestasiebeoordeling), die afhanklike veranderlike terwyl persoonlikheid. selfaktualisering en toesighouersvaardigheid die onafhanklike veranderlikes is. Die psigometriese toetsbattery is gebruik om te bepaal of daar 'n verband bestaan tussen: a) persoonlikheid. selfaktualisering en toesighouersvaardigheid onderling b) persoonlikheid. selfaktualisering en toesighouersvaardigheid. en prestasie c) persoonlikheid, selfaktualisering en toesighouersvaardigheid gesamentlik, en prestasie deur die formulering van statistiese kombinasies. Die resultate is weergegee en die nulhipoteses aanvaar of verwerp waarna die resultate bespreek is. Hierna is die gevolgtrekking geformuleer dat die gekombineerde statistiese kombinasies of gedeeltes van die drie psigometriese instrumente saam gebruik kan word om toesighouersukses te voorspel. / This dissertation focuses on personality. self-actualisation and supervisory skills as predictors of supervisor success. The dimensional and humanistic personality theories were used to describe personality and self-actualisation while supervisory skills were explained in the context of management psychology. A psychometric battery was compiled consisting of three instruments to evaluate personality (16 PF Questionnaire). self-actualisation (Personality Orientation Questionnaire). and supervisory skills (In-basket Exercise) respectively. In this research supervisory success is the dependent variable. and personality, self-actualisation and supervisory skills the independent variables. The psychometric battery were used to determines if any correlation exists between: a) personality, self-actualisation and supervisory skills b) personality, self-actualisation and supervisory skills. and performance. c) personality, self-actualisation and supervisory skills combined and performance through the formulation of statistical combinations. The results were provided. interpreted and discussed. The conclusion was reached that the statictical combination or parts of the three psychometric instruments combined could be used to predict supervisory success. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Bedryfsielkunde)

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie verhandeling fokus op persoonlikheid. selfaktualisering en toesighouersvaardighede. as voorspellers van toesighouersukses. Persoonlikheid en selfaktualisering word vanuit die dimensionele en humanistiese persoonlikheidsteoriee en toesighouersvaardighede vanuit die bestuurpsigologie beskryf. 'n Psigometriese toetsbattery is saamgestel uit drie instrumente wat onderskeidelik persoonlikheid (16 PF Vraelys), selfaktualisering (Persoonlike Orientasie-inventaris) en toesighouersvaardigheid (Posmandjie) evalueer. Vir die doel van hierdie navorsing, is toesighouersukses (volgens prestasiebeoordeling), die afhanklike veranderlike terwyl persoonlikheid. selfaktualisering en toesighouersvaardigheid die onafhanklike veranderlikes is. Die psigometriese toetsbattery is gebruik om te bepaal of daar 'n verband bestaan tussen: a) persoonlikheid. selfaktualisering en toesighouersvaardigheid onderling b) persoonlikheid. selfaktualisering en toesighouersvaardigheid. en prestasie c) persoonlikheid, selfaktualisering en toesighouersvaardigheid gesamentlik, en prestasie deur die formulering van statistiese kombinasies. Die resultate is weergegee en die nulhipoteses aanvaar of verwerp waarna die resultate bespreek is. Hierna is die gevolgtrekking geformuleer dat die gekombineerde statistiese kombinasies of gedeeltes van die drie psigometriese instrumente saam gebruik kan word om toesighouersukses te voorspel. / This dissertation focuses on personality. self-actualisation and supervisory skills as predictors of supervisor success. The dimensional and humanistic personality theories were used to describe personality and self-actualisation while supervisory skills were explained in the context of management psychology. A psychometric battery was compiled consisting of three instruments to evaluate personality (16 PF Questionnaire). self-actualisation (Personality Orientation Questionnaire). and supervisory skills (In-basket Exercise) respectively. In this research supervisory success is the dependent variable. and personality, self-actualisation and supervisory skills the independent variables. The psychometric battery were used to determines if any correlation exists between: a) personality, self-actualisation and supervisory skills b) personality, self-actualisation and supervisory skills. and performance. c) personality, self-actualisation and supervisory skills combined and performance through the formulation of statistical combinations. The results were provided. interpreted and discussed. The conclusion was reached that the statictical combination or parts of the three psychometric instruments combined could be used to predict supervisory success. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Bedryfsielkunde)