PERSONALITY, STRESS,
LEARNING,
AND PERCEPTION 2
Chapter 2 Changes from 9/e to 10/e
The entire chapter has been updated with 83 (97%) new references to this new edition. The
chapter has 33 more references than the last edition to support the use of evidence based
management.
When the text refers back to the opening case to illustrate the application of the text to the
case, it is now identified to stand out making them easier to find.
There are only minor changes throughout the chapter to improve the content and provide new
references to support the continuing use of prior topics.
The use of the word “we” has been changed in several places to you for a more personal
writing style.
In the Personality section, it now states that employers are visiting social media site to get a
feel for job candidates’ personalities.
In the Perception section, projection has been eliminated as a bias.
In the Developing Positive First Impressions section, it now states that employers are visiting
social media site to get a first impression of job candidates, and the importance of a
professional presence online.
All of the Application Situation boxes have been changed.
The case has been updated.
AACSB standards have been updated using the 2013 AACSB Business Accreditation
Standards, General Skills Areas.
CHAPTER 2 OUTLINE
I. How Personality, Stress, Intelligence and Learning, Perception, and First Impressions Affect Behavior, Human
Relations, and Performance
II. Personality
A. Personality Development and Classification Methods
B. Type A, Type B, and Locus of Control
C. The Big Five Model of Personality
1. Surgency, 2. Agreeableness, 3. Adjustment, 4. Conscientiousness, 5. Open to experience, 6. Crossculture
D. Using Behavior that Matches the Big Five Personality Types
E. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
III. Stress
A. What is Stress?
1. The Positive side, 2. Problems associated with too much stress
B. Causes of Stress
C. Signs of Stress
D. Controlling Stress
1. Exercise, 2. Nutrition, 3. Relaxation, 4. Positive thinking, 5. Support systems
IV. Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, and Learning
A. Intelligence
B. Emotional Intelligence
C. Learning Styles
D. The Learning Organization
V. Perception
A. The Nature of Perception
B. Bias in Perception
1. Stereotypes, 2. Frame of reference, 3. Expectations, 4. Selective exposure, 5. Interest, 6. Projection
VI. Developing Positive First Impressions
A. The Primacy Effect and the Four-Minute Barrier
B. Image Projection
1. Appearance, 2. Nonverbal communications, 3. Behavior
LECTURE OUTLINE PLUS
Power Point: You may use the Power Point supplement to enhance your lectures. Even if your classroom is not
equipped to use Power Point, you can review the material on your personal computer to get teaching ideas and to copy
the slides. Copies of the slides can be made into overheads.
Work Application (WA): NOTE: All the work application questions appear in the test bank so that you can assess
students’ ability to apply the concepts to their work world. However, because student answers will vary, there are no
answers in the test bank.
I. HOW PERSONALITY, STRESS, INTELLIGENCE, AND LEARNING, PERCEPTION, AND FIRST
IMPRESSIONS AFFECT BEHAVIOR, HUMAN RELATIONS, AND PERFORMANCE
This section presents an overview of the chapter topics and how they affect behavior, human relations, and
performance.
II. PERSONALITY
KT- Personality (a relatively stable set of traits that aids in explaining and predicting individual behavior).
A. Personality Development and Classification Methods
Our personalities have been developed through our genetics and environment.
We present 4 methods.
B. Type A, Type B and Locus of Control
Type A, Type B Personality. KT- Type A personality (is characterized as fast moving, hard driving, time conscious,
competitive, impatient, and preoccupied with work).
Locus of Control. KT- Locus of control (is a continuum between an external and internal belief over who has control
over one’s destiny)
Self-Assessment Exercise 2-: Your Locus of Control.
C. The Big Five Personality Model of Personality
KT – Big Five (categorizes traits into the dimensions of surgency, agreeableness, adjustment,
conscientiousness, and open to experience.)
Self-Assessment Exercise 2-2: Your Big Five Personality Profile
Exhibit 2.1 may be shown as you discuss the Big Five Model of personality.
1. Surgency. The surgency personality dimension includes leadership and extraversion traits.
2. Agreeableness. Unlike surgency behavior to get ahead of others, the agreeableness personality dimension includes
3. Adjustment. The adjustment personality dimension includes traits related to emotional stability.
5. Openness to experience. The openness to experience personality dimension includes traits related to being willing to
.
Learning Outcome 1. Describe the Big Five personality dimensions.
The surgency personality dimension includes leadership and extraversion traits. Unlike surgency behavior to get ahead
of others, the agreeableness personality dimension includes traits related to getting along with people. The adjustment
6. Personality Profiles. Personality profiles identify individual stronger and weaker traits.
WA: 1. Describe your Big Five personality profile.
I’m primarily conscientious then surgency, as I like to do a good job and to take charge. I’m also open to experience
Application Situations
Personality Dimensions AC 2-1
1. B Agreeableness. Juan is being sociable.
2. E Openness to experience. The leader is seeking change.
LO 2 – Explain the benefits of understanding and identifying personality profiles.
Understanding and identifying personality profiles can help you to understand and predict behavior, human relations,
WA 2 Select a present or past boss and describe how his or her personality profile affected behavior, human relations,
and performance.
SA -My boss had a strong surgency personality. Thus, his behavior was autocratic and employees had to behave as they
8. The Big Five has universal application across cultures. People around the world have the same five personality
dimensions. However, some are valued differently.
C. Using Behavior that Matches the Big Five Personality Types
1. Determine Personality.
2. Match Personality Type
1. Surgency Extraverts Introverts .
2. Agreeableness Agreeable Disagreeable
3. Adjustment Emotionally stable Emotionally unstable
4. Conscientiousness Conscientious Unconscientious
5. Open to Experience Open Closed
D. The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
Self-Assessment Exercise 2-3 Your MBTI Preferences
See Self-Assessment Exercise 2-3 for descriptors of:
1. Extravert vs. Introvert
2. Sensing vs. Intuitive
3. Thinking vs. Feeling
4. Judging vs. Perceiving
III. STRESS
A. What Is Stress?
KT- stress and stressors. Stress in an internal reaction to external stimulus. Stress is not universal, what causes one
1. The Positive Side. Some pressure helps increase performance.
2. Problems Associated With Too Much Stress. Too much stress causes both physical and emotional illness.
B. Causes of Stress. There are four common stressors related to work:
Self-Assessment Exercise 2-4 Your Stress Personality Type—A or B are determined.
1. Personality type. Type A personality behavior tends to cause stress, while Type B behavior does not.
LO 3. Describe your stress personality type.
Student answers will vary from Self-Assessment Exercise 2.2 Stress Personality Types. People have a Type A
WA 3- What was your stress personality type score and letter? Should you work at changing your personality type?
Explain why or why not? Will you change?
SA- I scored a 90 Type A. I guess I should let up a bit. I do feel stressed out occasionally. I will not change because I’m
The other three causes of stress are:
2. Organizational climate.
3. Management behavior.
4. Degree of job satisfaction.
Application Situations
Stressors AS 2-2
6. D. Job satisfaction. The person is stating satisfaction with the job.
7. A. Personality type. Pushing yourself is a characteristic of type A.
C. Signs of Stress.
KT- burnout. Signs of stress include increased breathing rates and perspiration. Watching the clock and feeling the
pressure of deadlines are signs of stress. Too much continued stress can lead to burnout and physical and/or emotional
illness.
D. Controlling Stress.
KT- The controlling stress plan. To control stress one should 1. identify stressors, 2. determine their causes and
consequences, and 3. plan to eliminate or decrease the stress. Five common ways to eliminate or decrease stress are:
1. Exercise. Aerobic exercise is best.
2. Nutrition. Eat good balanced meals, keep away from salt, sugar, fat, caffeine, alcohol, and drugs as much as possible.
3. Relaxation. Do things you enjoy to relax. Try some of the relaxation exercises in Exhibit 2.2.
Exhibit 2.2 Relaxation Exercises.
4. Positive thinking. Be confident and think positive thoughts.
5. Support system. Have friends you can talk to about your stressors.
LO 4. List causes of stress, and be more effective at controlling stress.
Causes of stress include: personality type, organizational climate, management behavior, and the degree of job
satisfaction. We can help control stress through exercise, nutrition, relaxation, positive thinking, and support systems.
Exhibit 2.3 Causes of Stress and How to Control Stress,
WA 4- Following the controlling stress plan 1. identify your major stressor, 2. determine its cause and consequences,
and 3. develop a plan to eliminate or decrease the stress. Identify each step in your answer.
SA- 1. Taking tests is my major stressor. 2. A major cause is the fact that I tend to wait until the night before the test to
study, which causes me to feel pressured. I tend to stay up late and feel poor the next day. 3. In the future I will start to
WA 5- Of the five ways to eliminate or decrease stress which do you do best; which needs the most improvement and
why? What will you do, if anything, to improve in this area?
SA- I’m on the basketball team so I exercise regularly. My weakness is junk food. In the future I will try to eat more
IV. INTELLIGENCE, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, AND LEARNING
A. Intelligence
KT- Intelligence. Intelligence results due to our genetics and environment. We have different levels of intelligence, or
ability for different tasks.
B. Emotional Intelligence (EI)
EI relates to how we manage emotions at work. EI has five components:
1. self-awareness
2. managing emotions
3. oneself
4. empathy
5. social skills
C. Learning Styles
KT- accommodator, diverger, converger, assimilator.
Exhibit 2-4 Learning Styles may be shown as you discuss the four styles below.
Self-Assessment Exercise 2-5: Your Learning Style
1. Accommodators prefer learning by doing and feelings.
2. Divergers prefer learning by observing and feelings.
3. Convergers prefer learning by doing and thinking.
4. Assimilators prefer learning by observing and thinking.
LO 5. Describe the four learning styles and know which is your preferred learning style.
Accommodates prefer learning by doing and feeling. Diverges prefer learning by observing and feeling. Converges
WA 6- What is your preferred learning style? Are the characteristics of the style a good description of you? Explain.
Are you flexible in changing styles?
SA- Converger, I definitely prefer learning by doing and thinking. I dislike sitting through lecture courses taking notes.
WA 7- Think about the person you work/worked with whom you enjoy/enjoyed working with the most. Identify that
person’s learning style. Is it the same as yours? What is it that you enjoy about the person?
SA- I enjoy working with Judy the most. Judy is an accommodator and so am I. We get along so well, we share our
WA 8- Think about the person you work/worked with whom you dislike/disliked working with the most. Identify that
person’s learning style. Is it the same as yours? What is it that you dislike about the person?
SA- Rick was a jerk. His learning style was diverger and mine is converger. Rick was so slow to take action to get the
Application Situations.
Learning Styles, AS-2.3
11. A. Accommodator. They tend to go by gut feeling rather than rational standard approaches. Accommodators tend to
12. D. Assimilator. Being impractical is a major con of the extreme assimilator.
VE 2-1 with BMV-2. Show Video Module 2 while doing Video Exercise Learning Styles, In the IM there are
suggestions and questions to use with this video exercise.
SB 2.1- Use “Learning Styles” to help students understand this concept.
D. The Learning Organization.
The learning organization focuses on improving learning and how knowledge is circulated throughout the organization.
V. PERCEPTION
A. The Nature of Perception
KT- perception. We select, organize, and interpret information through our perception process. People’s perceptions of
the same person, place, or thing can be very different.
B. Bias in Perception
KT- stereotyping. There are five biases in perception:
1. Stereotyping is the process of generalizing behavior of all members of a group.
2. Frame of reference refers to our tendency to see things from a narrow focus that directly affects us.
3. Expectations, we perceive, select, organize, and interpret information as we expect it to appear.
4. Selective exposure, we tend to see and hear what we want to.
5. Interest influences your perception.
WA 9- Give an example of when you and someone else experienced the same situation but perceived it differently.
Which of the five biases to perception seems to be the major reason for the difference in perceptions? Explain your
answer.
SA- I play softball and often the play at first-base it close. When my team is at bat and the play is real close the people
Application Situations
Bias in Perception, AS-2.4
16. B. Frame of reference. One’s own point of view if called frame of reference.
Exhibit 2-5 may be shown as a list of biases affecting perception.
LO 6. Describe six biases to perception.
1. Stereotyping is the process of generalizing behavior of all members of a group.
2. Frame of reference refers to our tendency to see things from a narrow focus that directly affects us.
6. Projection, using defense mechanisms to justify our behavior.
SB 2.2- Do Personality Perceptions, to help students better understand these concepts. In the IA there is a
recommended time for the use of this exercise.
VI. DEVELOPING POSITIVE FIRST IMPRESSIONS
A. The Primacy Effect and Four-Minute Barrier
KT- Primacy effect and four-minute barrier. If our appearance and behavior projects a positive first impression, people
will like us and our interactions will be pleasant. However, if our appearance and behavior projects a negative image,
human relations will be hurt.
B. Image Projection
KT- Image. The image we project is largely determined by three variables:
1. Appearance. People make judgments about us when they look at us before we can do or say anything. If people do
2. Nonverbal communication. Our facial expressions, eye contact, and handshake can send a positive or negative
impression.
3. Behavior. The third image projection is what we do and say. Following the eight guidelines to human relations and
SB 2.3- Use Skill Building Exercise First Impressions, to help students better understand the image they project and
how to project a more positive first impression. Turn to the IA page for ideas on conducting this exercise.
LO 7. Explain the importance of first impressions and how to project a positive image.
We only have up to four minutes to project a positive image. If we present a negative first impression to people our
WA 10- Give an example of when others made a positive and negative first impression on you. Explain the causes
(appearance, nonverbal communications, behavior) of their success or failure.
SA- I once had this blind date with this girl. When I met her she had this ugly blue and white polka-dot dress, and her
Once when I went to this library I walked up to the counter and there was an attractive young woman behind the desk,
WA 11- Which area of projecting a positive image (appearance, nonverbal communications, behavior) is your strongest
and weakest? Explain you answers. What will you do to project a positive image in the future?
SA- My strongest area is appearance. I always dress and groom neatly. My weakest area is nonverbal communications.
To project a positive first impression we need to present a neat appearance, send positive nonverbal communications,
and behave in a manner befitting the occasion.
LEARNING OUTCOME ANSWERS
NOTE: Below are recommended answers to the learning objectives. The learning objectives with answers also appear
in the test bank so that you can test students on them as short answer/essay questions.
You may also want to limit the number of learning objectives that you expect students to know for the exams. For
example, you could select 2-5 from each chapter that you believe are the most important things that students should
know. Assume you have a total of 10 for an exam. You could tell students to know the answers to all 10 and that you
will select 3 of them for the exam.
After Completing This Chapter You Should Be Able To:
LO 1. Describe the Big Five personality dimensions.
The surgency personality dimension includes leadership and extraversion traits. Unlike surgency behavior to get ahead
of others, the agreeableness personality dimension includes traits related to getting along with people. The adjustment
LO 2 – Explain the benefits of understanding and identifying personality profiles.
Understanding and identifying personality profiles can help you to understand and predict behavior, human relations,