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Localized muscular loads have in many cases replaced whole body loads in the current mechanized industry. In highly automated automobile industries, the prevalence of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders is a matter of continuing concern. Overhead work has especially been noted for its association with shoulder related musculoskeletal disorders. Research aimed at determining causal relationships between overhead work and risk of injury has increasingly used localized muscle fatigue as an indirect or surrogate measure. In this study, localized muscle fatigue was used as a primary measure for studying the effects of workload level while performing overhead work. Subjective (ratings of perceived discomfort) measures of fatigue were collected and their predictive potential was investigated. Effect of personality type was also examined to account for any inter-individual differences in fatigue perception. While researchers have studied specific task conditions in controlled environments, the specific relationship between various risk factors and underlying injury mechanisms is largely unknown. Two main problems faced by researchers are limited resources and the large scope of potential ergonomic analyses. This study attempted to circumvent some of these limitations by examining the time-course of fatigue and the predictive potential of subjective measures. The feasibility of using shorter experimental durations to make deductions for a 2-hour work period was explored. Reductions in experimental duration means decreased experimental time, expenses and resources. Thus, in turn, the researcher can utilize available resources to study more factors and a more general scenario. Specifically, subjective measures of shoulder fatigue were used to determine the possibility of reducing experimental duration for an intermittent overhead task. A laboratory-simulated intermittent overhead task was designed based on observations made at an automotive assembly unit. For this study, two treatment conditions were tested consisting of different combinations of two tool masses and two duty cycles. The choice of the treatment conditions was made to simulate different task difficulty levels of occupational tasks and their effects on shoulder fatigue. Each experiment was conducted for 2 hours (a common duration in industries with job rotation) for these selected treatment conditions. Subjective measures of fatigue were collected to assess shoulder fatigue and relative acceptability of the overhead work. Any observed trends in the subjective fatigue measure were determined and tested using statistical and mathematical models to determine how best to represent their salient characteristics. Derived qualitative and quantitative measures were also used to estimate the maximal acceptable task durations using certain formalized assessment techniques. Results of this research suggest possible reductions in the experimental duration. Short (8 to 26 minute) trials were found to be sufficient to predict performance measures for 2 hours. Results also indicated a strong influence of task difficulty level on the predictive performance of subjective measures though personality type did not show very consistent trends. Various unique analysis techniques used to look at the psychophysical data may prove useful for further investigation into predictive verification. A generalized mathematical model, a type of approach, was also developed to represent changes in the psychophysical measures over time. This research can find both industrial and research applications where resources are constrained and using psychophysical measures is feasible. In the following report, details on this work are presented, including a description of the factors that inspired this study, an outline of the relevant literature, methodology, results and their implications. / Master of Science

The aim of this study was to determine whether personality types are predictors of team roles in order to make recommendations for the use of personality types, in conjunction with team roles, in selection and teambuilding. The study was conducted among 50 professionals and managers in Western Cape organisations. The data was collected by means of the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI) and the TearnBuilder Model of Team Roles. Supporting evidence, although not sufficient, indicates that the Extraversion (E) personality type is a positive predictor of the Driving Onward team role and a negative predictor of the Delivering Plans team role. The Introversion (I) personality type is not a predictor of any team role. The Sensing (S) personality type is a negative predictor of the Driving Onward team role and a positive predictor of the Delivering Plans team role. The Intuition (N) personality type is a positive predictor of the Driving Onward team role and a negative predictor of the Delivering Plans team role. The Thinking (T) personality type is a positive predictor of the Controlling Quality team role. The Feeling (F) personality type is not a predictor of any team role. The Judging (J) personality type is a positive predictor of the Planning Ahead team role, and the Perceiving (P) personality type is a negative predictor of the Planning Ahead team role. It can be assumed that the full range of personality types will be a predictor of the full range of team roles, should a larger sample size and geographical sample group be included in the study. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

The objective of the study was to determine whether any relationships exist between personality and the performance of sales staff in a call centre environment. Personality type (measured by the Jung Type Indicator [JTI]) and sales personality type (measured by the Sales Preference Indicator [SPI]) were correlated with sales staff performance in an insurance call centre environment. A quantitative survey was conducted using a sample of N = 146. Correlational and inferential statistical analyses revealed statistically significant positive, although weak, relationships between personality type and the performance of call centre sales staff while statistically significant positive and negative correlations, although weak, were found between sales personality type and the performance of call centre sales staff. More female and black sales staff members were found in the higher performing clusters than in the average and poorer performing clusters. The best subset of personality scales from the JTI that predicted univariate measures of performance were the extroversion-introversion scale and the judging-perceiving scale while the best subset of predictors from the SPI personality scale were the consistent-adaptive scale and the cooperative-competitive scale. Call centre performance criteria are based mainly on quantitative performance criteria. It emerged from the literature review that the call centre sales position is synonymous with emotional labour and it is, thus, recommended that future research should emphasise the importance of emotionally intensive labour and its measurement combined with quantitative performance measures. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The aim of this study was to determine whether personality types are predictors of team roles in order to make recommendations for the use of personality types, in conjunction with team roles, in selection and teambuilding. The study was conducted among 50 professionals and managers in Western Cape organisations. The data was collected by means of the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI) and the TearnBuilder Model of Team Roles. Supporting evidence, although not sufficient, indicates that the Extraversion (E) personality type is a positive predictor of the Driving Onward team role and a negative predictor of the Delivering Plans team role. The Introversion (I) personality type is not a predictor of any team role. The Sensing (S) personality type is a negative predictor of the Driving Onward team role and a positive predictor of the Delivering Plans team role. The Intuition (N) personality type is a positive predictor of the Driving Onward team role and a negative predictor of the Delivering Plans team role. The Thinking (T) personality type is a positive predictor of the Controlling Quality team role. The Feeling (F) personality type is not a predictor of any team role. The Judging (J) personality type is a positive predictor of the Planning Ahead team role, and the Perceiving (P) personality type is a negative predictor of the Planning Ahead team role. It can be assumed that the full range of personality types will be a predictor of the full range of team roles, should a larger sample size and geographical sample group be included in the study. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

The objective of the study was to determine whether any relationships exist between personality and the performance of sales staff in a call centre environment. Personality type (measured by the Jung Type Indicator [JTI]) and sales personality type (measured by the Sales Preference Indicator [SPI]) were correlated with sales staff performance in an insurance call centre environment. A quantitative survey was conducted using a sample of N = 146. Correlational and inferential statistical analyses revealed statistically significant positive, although weak, relationships between personality type and the performance of call centre sales staff while statistically significant positive and negative correlations, although weak, were found between sales personality type and the performance of call centre sales staff. More female and black sales staff members were found in the higher performing clusters than in the average and poorer performing clusters. The best subset of personality scales from the JTI that predicted univariate measures of performance were the extroversion-introversion scale and the judging-perceiving scale while the best subset of predictors from the SPI personality scale were the consistent-adaptive scale and the cooperative-competitive scale. Call centre performance criteria are based mainly on quantitative performance criteria. It emerged from the literature review that the call centre sales position is synonymous with emotional labour and it is, thus, recommended that future research should emphasise the importance of emotionally intensive labour and its measurement combined with quantitative performance measures. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

An individual’s personality traits and characteristics have been found to have an important relationship with health behaviors. However, there has been minimal research conducted with personality types. The purpose of the study was to examine the predictive relationship among MBTI® personality preferences and types and both selected health-promoting and selected risk-taking behaviors among residential college students. Furthermore, several potential mediating demographic variables were added to the study to determine their predictive relationship and if they should be entered into a model for the selected health behaviors. The study used a cross-sectional design with two self-report instruments and demographic questionnaire. The two self-report instruments were the MBTI® and the HPLP II. A systematic random sample was employed to obtain the sample of full-time residential college students. A total of 406 subjects voluntarily completed the instruments. The subjects ranged in age from 18 to 28 with 98.3% reporting traditional college age. Descriptive and inferential statistics with an alpha level of .05 were used for data analysis. The results revealed that models incorporating MBTI® personality preferences and types had a significant predictive relationship with nutrition, interpersonal relations, spiritual growth, physical activity, aggregate health-promoting lifestyle, alcohol use, binge drinking, and heavy drinking. However, the variance explained by the models for each behavior was consistently low with the one exception of interpersonal relations. Health-responsibility, stress management, and cigarette smoking could not be predicted by models integrating MBTI® personality preferences and types. Nonetheless, specific personality preferences and types did have a significant relationship with health-responsibility, stress management, and cigarette smoking. In conclusion, MBTI® personality preferences and types provided valuable insight into explaining several of the selected health behaviors. The results revealed personality preferences and type can be useful in health research. Given the popularity of the MBTI®, future research incorporating the MBTI® and various health behaviors may offer valuable information used by health professionals and counselors to modify health behaviors.

Career development theory has traditionally focused mainly on career decision- making and work behaviors and patterns, rather than psychological reasons for working. Blustein (2006) has stepped in to close this gap by providing a taxonomy of three core psychological functions of work: work as a means of survival and power, social connection, and self-determination. Blustein proposes these functions of work are influenced by contextual variables such as access to resources and opportunities. Although it is impossible to measure and define all circumstantial influences that affect core work functions, it is possible to explore how contextual variables, such as age, gender, education, and personality type, affect objectives sought through work, measured as career values. In the current study, secondary data analysis was conducted on data collected from on-line participants who had completed the Career Values Scale (CVS). Three principal components, conceptually aligned to Blustein‘s three core functions of work, were extracted from the CVS: Self-Expression, Extrinsic Rewards, and Working with Others. A series of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tests were conducted on these component scores to test hypotheses about how work objectives were influenced by the contextual variables of age, gender, education, and personality type. Age, gender, and education differences accounted for a small, but significant amount of the variance in the career values component scores. Differences in personality type preferences accounted for a greater amount of the variance in the component scores, emphasizing the need to look at personal characteristics as well as contextual variables when considering reasons for working.