 Organizational Behavior

 Prepared by Dr Tatek Wendwsen

(PHD)
 Introduction to Organizational
Behavior (OB)
 Organizational Behavior (OB) is the study
of how people behave within
organizations, focusing on understanding
and improving the way individuals and
groups interact in work settings. It looks
at how employees’ attitudes, actions, and
performance affect the organization as a
whole.
 OB aims to find out what motivates people,
how they work together in teams, and how
leaders can effectively manage and inspire
their teams. This field combines insights
from various disciplines such as
psychology, sociology, and economics to
get a complete picture of workplace
 . Brief Origins of Organizational
Behavior
 The origins of Organizational Behavior (OB) can be
traced back to the early 20th century with the advent of
scientific management by Frederick Taylor who
emphasized efficiency and productivity through
systematic study of work processes
 The human relations movement in the 1930s, led by
Elton Mayo’s Hawthorne Studies, highlighted the
importance of social relations and employee well-being
in the workplace.
 Max Weber’s bureaucratic theory is contributed by
introducing the concept of structured, rule-based
organizations.
 Over time, OB evolved by incorporating insights from
psychology, sociology, anthropology, and economics,
leading to a comprehensive understanding of individual
and group behavior in organizational settings.
 The Three Basic Units of Analysis
in OB
This multidisciplinary approach has shaped OB into a field
focused on enhancing organizational effectiveness and
employee satisfaction
The Three Basic Units of Analysis
 Individual Level: Focuses on personal attributes like
personality, motivation, and perception.
 individual behaviors and attitudes within the
organization
 It examines how personal traits, motivations, and
perceptions affect job performance
 Understanding individual behavior helps in tailoring
personal development programs and improving job fit.
 Group Level: Examines group dynamics,
communication, conflict, and leadership within teams.
 how individuals work together in teams or groups
 It explores group dynamics, communication patterns,
leadership styles, and conflict resolution
 Three Basic Units
 Organizational Level: Analyzes organizational culture,
structure, policies, and external influences.
 This level examines the organization as a whole,
including its structure, culture, and processes.
 Understanding this level helps in shaping
organizational policies, improving efficiency, and
fostering a positive organizational climate.
 Replacing Intuition with Systematic Study
 Intuition: Relies on gut feelings and past experiences,
which can lead to biases.
 Systematic Study: Uses scientific methods to analyze
behavior and predict outcomes. Data-driven decisions are
more accurate and reliable than intuition alone. “Systematic
study”
 Systematic study replaces intuition or those “gut
feelings” about “why I do what I do” and “what
makes others tick”.
 Manager’s Job and Its Relation to the
Study of OB
 Planning: Setting goals and deciding how to achieve them.
Planning is the function of management that involves setting
objectives and determining a course of action for achieving those
objectives.
 Planning requires that managers be aware of environmental
conditions facing their organization and forecast future
conditions. It also requires that managers be good decision
makers.
 Organizing: Allocating resources and structuring teams.
Organizing is the function of management that involves
developing an organizational structure and allocating human
resources to ensure the accomplishment of objectives.
 Leading: Motivating and directing employees. Leading involves
the social and informal sources of influence that you use to
inspire action taken by others. If managers are effective leaders,
their subordinates will be enthusiastic about exerting effort to
attain organizational objectives.
 Manager’s Job & Relation to OB
• Planning: Setting goals
• Organizing: Allocating resources
• Leading: Motivating teams
• Controlling: Monitoring progress.

Effective managers leverage OB insights, such as
motivational theories and leadership styles, to
improve productivity.
 The management functions of planning, organizing,
leading, and controlling are widely considered to be the best
means of describing the manager’s job, as well as the best
way to classify accumulated knowledge about the study of
management
 There have been tremendous changes in the
environment faced by managers and the tools used by
managers to perform their roles, managers still perform
these essential functions.
 Characteristics of OB
Behavioral approach
Cause-effect relationships
Interdisciplinary field
Combination of science and art.
 Behavioral Approach to Management:
Organizational behavior is that part of whole management which
represents the behavioral approach to management.
Organizational behavior has emerged as a distinct field of study
because of the importance of human behavior in organizations.
 Cause and Effect Relationship:
Human behavior is generally taken in terms of cause and effect
relationship and not in philosophical terms. It helps in predicting
the behavior of individuals. It provides generalizations that
managers can use to anticipate the effect of certain activities on
human behavior
 Characteristics of OB

 Organizational Behavior is a Branch of Social

Sciences:
Organizational behavior is heavily influenced by several other
social sciences viz. psychology, sociology and anthropology. It
draws a rich array of research from these disciplines.
 Three Levels of Analysis:
Organizational behavior encompasses the study of three levels
of analysis namely
 Individual behavior,
 Inter-individual behavior and
 The behavior of organizations themselves.
The field of organizational behavior embraces all these levels
as being complementary to each other.
 Development of OB
 Development of OB
 Organizational development (OD) is a planned, ongoing
effort by organizations to change in order to become more
effective.
 The need for organizational change becomes apparent
when a gap exists between what an organizations is trying
to do and what is actually being accomplished.
 OD processes include using knowledge of behavioral
science to encourage an organizational culture of
continual examination and readiness for change. In that
culture.
 Recognition of organization problems and influences.
Before changes can be proposed, correct identification of
the gaps between what an organization is trying to do and
what is actually being accomplished must be made.
 Development of OB
 Strong support from top-level managers. If managers
at the higher levels in the organization do not provide
obvious and open support for the OD efforts, the program
is likely to fail.
 Communication of what OD is and is not and awareness of
why it is being used. The culture of the organization
should be such that employees are aware of what
organizational development is and is not so that it is not
seen as a threat.
 Development of OB

 Psychology: Studies individual behavior (motivation,

personality, learning).
 Sociology: Examines group behavior and organizational
culture.
 Anthropology: Provides insights into organizational
culture and cross-cultural interactions.
 Economics: Analyzes incentives and decision-making
processes.
 Management and OB in the 21st
Century
 Organizational Behavior (OB) in my opinion is the most
important structure of a business model.
 OB is the study and process of the job performance, employee
interaction, job commitment, leadership and managerial styles
 The population of the world is dramatically increasing,
technology is becoming extremely intelligent and in turn
globalization is becoming easier and more effective, as is the
need for our employees to keep up with the change and do the
same.
 In the 21st century, the study and changes of OB are
imperative and depending on the size and type of business you
have,
 As we globalize, companies need to be connected and
supported in more than just one country. It is now all about the
brand and less about the location
 Management and OB in the
21st Century
 Globalization: Managing cross-cultural
teams and international operations.
 Technology: Impact on communication,
collaboration, and remote work.
 Diversity and Inclusion: Addressing
varied perspectives and reducing
workplace biases.
 Sustainability: Balancing profit with
social responsibility.
Management and OB in the
21st Century
 Organization as a System

 System
A system is a collection of parts (or subsystems) integrated to
accomplish an overall goal (a system of people is an
organization).
Systems have input, processes, outputs and outcomes, with
ongoing feedback among these various parts. If one part of the
system is removed, the nature of the system is changed.
The organization is a system - made up of components
which work together to achieve an overall goal.
All these different functions are dependent on each other.
A great HR team on its own does not make a great
organization in the same way that a petrol tank on its own does
not make a car.
You may have a great team of staff delivering services, but if
your finance processes and procedures stop working the whole
organization suffers.
 Inputs: Resources like people, capital,
and information.
 Processes: Activities and workflows.
 Outputs: Products, services, and
outcomes.
 Key Concept: Feedback loops are critical
for system improvement.
 Ethics and Organizational Behavior
 Organizational ethics – also known as business ethics – are the
values, principles, and standards that guide the individual and
group behavior of the people in an organization.
 Business ethics are set up to steer and manage activities and
business situations to proactively avoid harmful behavior. They
are often laid out in a code of conduct, which establishes the
moral and ethical requirements that employees and the
organization must follow.
Why We Need Ethics in organization
1. Managing changing employee expectations
Employees (and increasingly candidates) look to employers, rather than
governments, for their stance on socio-economic topics.
2. The increasingly strategic role of HR
People Teams are tasked with new business needs in an ever-changing
business environment. These business needs bring new challenges that need
to be managed, like improving diversity in the workforce, equality, workplace
conduct, and creating ethical policies and processes.
 Ethics and Organizational
Behavior
 Moral values such as respect, honesty, fairness, and
responsibility are important constructs of ethics.
 Application of such ethics is ensured by organizations by
adopting some code of ethics.
 Thus, ethics include the fundamental ground rules and
organizations give an informed choice to the employees
to understand whether something is right or wrong and
then take decisions making the right choice.
 Ethics are moral principles (about what is good,
defensible, and right).
 It is often treated as an afterthought. Ethics and ethical
reflection need to be integrated through all OB. A common
philosophical definition of ethics is the science of
conduct or values of management.
 Ethics and Organizational
Behavior
 Moral values such as respect, honesty, fairness, and
responsibility are important constructs of ethics.
 Application of such ethics is ensured by organizations by
adopting some code of ethics.
 Thus, ethics include the fundamental ground rules and
organizations give an informed choice to the employees
to understand whether something is right or wrong and
then take decisions making the right choice.
4 top values:
 Respect the individual
 Service to the customer
 Strive for excellence
 Act with integrity.
 Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR)
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a practical concept that states
companies should carry out actions that are based on the improvement
of society instead of increasing revenue (therefore, making it a
responsibility as such) - these actions are carried out for the greater
good instead. For example, take employees on charity field trips to carry
out social work in order to satisfy their corporate social responsibility.
 Ethical decision-making process:
 Look for and identify ethical issues. What feels wrong?
 Obtain unbiased facts and look for distorted or missing information.
 Identify the stakeholders and their motivation and influence.
Understand situational factors.
 Identify the values and look for competing values.
 Seek additional assistance and foster open discussion. Reinforce
the values of mutual respect and reason-giving.
 Formulate solutions using best-known ethical frameworks as a
guide.
 Evaluate proposed alternatives including potential consequences.
 Select and implement the most ethical solution.
 Monitor and assess the outcome.
 Work to avoid future problems.
 Leadership and Ethics
 For business success, it’s critical for organizations to fill
their group with ethical leaders.
 Ethical leadership involves leaders and managers making
decisions based on the right thing to do for the common
good, not just based on what is best for themselves or for
the bottom line.

 While profits are important, ethical leaders take into

consideration the needs of customers, communities, and
employees in addition to company growth and revenue
when making business decisions.
 Ethical leaders encourage their team members to model
this behavior, too. They help to build a workplace culture
that values transparency, collaboration and inclusion, and
where everyone feels safe to share their voice.
 Example: Ethical leadership
1. Respect
Respect includes valuing others’ skills and contributions. While
historically respect in the workplace may have been one-way (leaders
demanding respect from employees), in an ethical work environment,
respect is mutual.
Mutual respect leads to healthier workplace relationships where both
sides appreciate and support what the other is doing and feel secure
in talking through issues and challenges. Healthy relationships create
positive work environments, which drives increased productivity.
Current and upcoming business leaders should take mutual respect
into account as workforce expectations continue to shift.
2. Accountability
Ethical leaders hold themselves accountable for their actions. They
make decisions based on integrity and stand behind their work. They
also lead by example, communicate openly about challenges, and
don’t look to place blame on others for any shortfalls.
 Example: Ethical
leadership
3. Service
Leaders make ethical decisions based on doing what is right for
employees, customers, and the community. Because these constituents
are always top of mind for ethical leaders, they often have a strong
sense of service. They engage in activities such as charitable giving and
volunteer work to give back to their communities — and encourage
their teams to do the same.
4. Honesty
Leaders who are transparent build trust amongst their organizations
and amongst customers.
To build and maintain trust, leaders must be good communicators who
speak openly and honestly about issues. Regardless of the issue’s
severity or unpopularity, leaders’ responsibility to be clear and candid
empowers others to make the right decisions with the information they
have.
Honesty and transparency also help to build a brand’s reputation,
leading to long-term customer loyalty.
 Example: Ethical leadership
5. Justice
Justice is not just about following the law, but about ensuring
that everyone is getting what they deserve. Ethical leaders
approach situations with a focus on treating everyone fairly,
and they expect their teams to treat each other and
customers the same way. Through their actions, they build
equitable work environments where everyone feels
respected.
6. Community
Ethical leaders view their companies as communities and
consider everyone involved when evaluating situations and
making decisions. By viewing their organizations this way,
they build equity and inclusion into their decision-making
process and create work environments that encourage
collaboration across teams.
 Chapter
One End
 Chapter Two
 FOUNDATION OF INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR AND LEARNING IN
AN ORGANIZATION

Perception
Perception is the process through which information from the

outside environment is selected, received, organized, and

interpreted to make it meaningful to you.

Perception may be defined as a process by which individuals

organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to

give meaning to their environment

Perception Sensory Impressions
 Nature of Perception

 Perception Refers to the interpretation

of sensory data. In other words, sensation
involves detecting the presence of a
stimulus, whereas perception involves
understanding what the stimulus
means.
 Perception is more than simple
sensation. It correlates, integrates, and
comprehends diverse sensations and
information from multiple sensory organs
in the body.
 Perception when it is interpreted in the
visual cortex of the brain.
 Thus, visual perception refers to
interpreting the image of the external
world projected onto the retina of the
eye and constructing a model of the
three-dimensional world."
Sensations refer to the raw data received by
the sensory organs, while perception gives
this data meaning and coherence.
The process of hearing is a complex series of mechanical movements
that involves the following steps:
1. Sound waves enter the ear
Sound waves travel through the ear canal and hit the eardrum, causing it
to vibrate.
2. Vibrations travel to the middle ear
The eardrum vibrates and sends the vibrations to the malleus, incus, and
stapes, three tiny bones in the middle ear. These bones amplify the
vibrations and send them to the cochlea.
3. Vibrations reach the cochlea
The vibrations travel to the cochlea, a fluid-filled, snail-shaped structure
in the inner ear.
4. Hair cells in the cochlea translate vibrations into electrical
impulses
The vibrations cause the fluid in the cochlea to ripple, which moves hair
cells in the cochlea. The hair cells bend, which opens pore-like channels
at the tips of the hair cells. These channels create electrical impulses.
5. Electrical impulses travel to the brain
The auditory nerve carries the electrical impulses to the brain, where
they are translated into sounds.
The brain uses the signals to organize and communicate with the outside
world.
The Hearing Process
 Importance of Perception

 Understanding Human Behavior:

Perception plays a crucial role in
understanding human behavior, as every
individual perceives the world and
approaches life problems differently
 Predicting Behavior:
Since people behave based on their
perceptions, understanding these
perceptions helps predict their actions in
changing circumstances. For example,
one individual may view a situation
differently from another based on their
Cont.…..Importance
 Identifying Needs:
Perception helps determine the needs of
various individuals, as their perceptions are
influenced by their personal needs and desires.
Just like amusement park mirrors distort images,
people's perceptions are often shaped and
distorted by their inner tensions and priorities.
 Effective Management:
Perception is vital for managers seeking to avoid
errors when dealing with people and situations in
the workplace. The complexity arises because
different people perceive the same situation in
varying ways.
 The Perceptual Process

 The perceptual process is the way the brain

processes and communicates sensory
information to the body. The process involves a
series of stages that filter, sort, and make sense
of stimuli:
 Selection: The process of choosing which
stimuli to focus on, which is often influenced by
personal motives
 Organization: Comparing new stimuli with
existing knowledge
 Interpretation: Making meaning of the stimuli
 Memory: Storing the experience of the stimuli
 Factors Influence
Perception
 Perception is a subjective process
influenced by various factors that shape how
individuals interpret and make sense of the
world around them. These factors influence the
selection, organization, and interpretation of
sensory information, leading to unique and
diverse perceptions among individuals
 Culture: The culture you grew up in can affect how you perceive
people and situations.
 Emotions: Your emotions can act as a filter on what you see and
how you understand it. For example, when you're happy, the
world might seem brighter, and when you're sad, it can look a bit
darker.
 Memory: Memory is a factor that affects our ability to see,
describe, and match colors.
Cont.…..Factors Influence
 Developmental changes: Developmental changes in
our bodies as we age can influence perception.
 Sensory inputs: How we process sensory inputs can
influence perception.
 Health: Health can influence perception.
 Hunger: Hunger can influence perception.
 Neurological conditions: Neurological conditions
affecting behavior can influence perception
 The Significance of Understanding Perception
Factors

Understanding the factors that influence perception is

essential for several reasons:
 Effective Communication: Awareness of individual
differences in perception helps tailor messages to
resonate with diverse audiences.
 Conflict Resolution: Recognizing variations in
perception fosters empathy and facilitates resolving
disagreements.
 Leadership and Decision-Making: Leaders who
understand perception factors are better equipped to
make informed decisions and inspire their teams.
 Workplace Dynamics: Perception shapes workplace
relationships, interactions, and overall dynamics,
impacting collaboration and productivity.
 Types of Leadership
 Autocratic
Also known as authoritarian, this style is best suited for situations that require quick
decisions and tight control.
 Democratic
This style is the opposite of autocratic, and involves encouraging team members to share
their ideas and opinions.
 Transformational
This style involves setting a vision and motivating employees to exceed their limits. It's
considered one of the most effective styles for driving change and innovation.
 Transactional
This style is more direct, with the leader clearly spelling out tasks. However, it can limit
creativity and innovation.
 Laissez-faire
This style is more hands-off, and works well when direct reports are highly trained and
motivated.
 Servant
This style involves distributing power among the team, and the leader's role is to
facilitate this.
 Coaching
This style focuses on developing employees by identifying their strengths and
weaknesses.
 Bureaucratic
This style involves a clear chain of command and fixed duties for each person. It can
provide clarity and prevent confusion.
 Other leadership styles include: Coercive, Authoritative, Pacesetting, and Affiliative.
 Attitude አመለካከት

 In psychology, an attitude refers to a set of

emotions, beliefs, and behaviors toward a
particular object, person, thing, or event.
Attitude can also be described as the way we
evaluate something or someone. For example,
we tend to respond positively or negatively
about certain subjects.
 We can summarize the main components of
attitude which are a collection of our
thoughts, feelings, and actions in a given
scenario. They are formed as a result of our
life experiences, upbringing, education, and
social influences.
Cont.…Attitude
 An attitude is a summary evaluation of an
object of thought, which can encompass
anything a person can identify or hold in mind.
Attitudes are multidimensional, comprising
three primary components:
 Cognitive (Beliefs): The thoughts or beliefs
associated with the attitude object.
 Affective (Emotions): The emotional
responses or feelings toward the attitude object.
 Behavioral (Intentions): The tendencies,
motivations, or inclinations to act in a certain
way regarding the object.
 Characteristics of Attitudes

 Evaluative:
Attitudes involve an individual’s positive or negative
evaluation of an object, person, group, idea, or event.
 Learned:
Attitudes are not innate; they are developed through
various processes such as direct experiences,
socialization, and exposure to persuasive messages or
information.
 Enduring:
Attitudes are often stable and long-lasting, meaning they
can persist over time and resist change.
 Behavioral Influence:
Attitudes significantly shape an individual’s behavior,
thoughts, and emotions, influencing their social
interactions and relationships.
 Cont.….Characteristics
 Multi-Dimensional:
Attitudes are composed of three
interrelated components:
 Cognitive: Beliefs and thoughts about the
attitude object.
 Affective: Emotional responses toward the
attitude object.
 Behavioral: Inclinations to act in specific
ways toward the attitude object.
 How Attitudes Are Formed
 An attitude is a mental tendency to evaluate
an entity along an evaluative continuum with
some degree of favor or disfavor; attitudes sum
up liking or opinions toward something.
 The entity in question can take any form,
from tactile to virtual, from physical to
imagined, and often scholars reference the
entities generically as attitude objects
 Attitudes are important because they predict
and are causally implicated in behavior,
especially when they are strongly embedded for
an individual as when attitudes align with core
values or are linked to social allegiances
Cont.…..Formation
 Source of Attitude

 An attitude is a General and long-

lasting positive or negative opinion or
feeling about a person, object, or problem.
 Attitudes are developed through direct
experiences, social influence, or media
exposure.
 They are built on three pillars:
 Emotions,
 Behavior, and
 Cognition
 Source of Attitude
 Furthermore, evidence suggests that
attitudes develop as a result of
psychological needs (motivational
foundations),
 Social interactions (social foundations),
and genetics (biological foundations),
though this last idea is new and
controversial.
 Attitude formation occurs in a person in a
variety of ways. The instrumental method
is used to shape attitudes.
 Process of Attitude Formation

 While being punished for having an ‘inappropriate’

attitude, biases and prejudices are frequently learned in
such a manner.
 Observations of people and the environment can also
shape attitudes.
 Observational attitude formation can be direct (such as
observing the behavior of parents or peers) or indirect
(observations of media).
A variety of factors can influence how and why attitudes form.
Here’s a closer look at attitude formation. When someone is
highly praised for adopting a ‘suitable’ attitude, that process of
attitude formation has the following two categories:

 Determinants of attitude formation

 Theoretical perspectives
 Personality
Definition of Personality
 Personality
Definition of Personality

 Personality describes the unique

patterns of thoughts, feelings, and
behaviors that distinguish a person
from others.
 The word "personality" stems from the
Latin word persona, which refers to a
theatrical mask worn by performers to
play roles or disguise their identities.
 Personality

personality is the external appearance of an

individual.
But in psychology the personality is the totality of
an individual, both his inner and outer qualities
interacting with each other.
Personality is a characteristic way of thinking,
feeling, and behaving. Personality embraces moods,
attitudes, and opinions and is most clearly
expressed in interactions with other people.
Definition : According to G.W. Allport – " Personality
is the dynamic organization within the individual of
those psychophysical systems that determines his
unique adjustment to his environment."
 Personality

 Personality refers to the enduring characteristics

and behavior that comprise a person’s unique
adjustment to life, including major traits,
interests, drives, values, self-concept, abilities,
and emotional patterns.
 Various theories explain the structure and
development of personality in different ways,
but all agree that personality helps
determine behavior.
 Personality Determinants
 Many contemporary personality
psychologists believe that there are five
basic dimensions of personality,
The "Big 5" personality traits. The Big 5
personality traits are
1. Extraversion (also often spelled

extroversion),
2. Agreeableness,
3. Openness,
4. Conscientiousness, and
5. Neuroticism.
Personality Determinants
 The Big 5

 The five basic personality traits is a theory

developed in 1949 by D. W. Fiske (1949)
and later expanded upon by other
researchers including Norman (1967),
Smith (1967), Goldberg (1981), and
McCrae & Costa (1987).
 These broad categories have been
researched and developed over the years
and, whilst there is extensive study into
each area, researchers don’t always agree
on the definition of each characteristic.
 The Big 5
An Easy Way to Remember the Big 5
Some use the acronym OCEAN
 openness,
 conscientiousness,
 extraversion,
 agreeableness, and
 Neuroticism
To remember the Big 5 personality traits. CANOE
conscientiousness,

 Agreeableness,
 Neuroticism,
 Openness, and
 extraversion is another option.
 Openness
 Openness (also referred to as openness
to experience) emphasizes imagination
and insight the most out of all five
personality traits.1 People who are high in
openness tend to have a broad range of
interests. They are inquiring about the
world and other people and are eager to
learn new things and enjoy new
experiences.
 Openness
People who are high in this personality trait also tend to be more
adventurous and creative. Equally, people low in this personality trait
are often much more traditional and may struggle with abstract
thinking.
High
 Very creative
 Open to trying new things
 Focused on tackling new challenges
 Happy to think about abstract concepts

Low
 Dislikes change
 Does not enjoy new things
 Resists new ideas
 Not very imaginative
 Dislikes abstract or theoretical concepts
 Conscientiousness
Conscientiousness
 Among each of the personality traits,
conscientiousness is one defined by high levels
of
 thoughtfulness,
 good impulse control, and
 goal-directed behaviors.
Highly conscientious people tend to
be organized and mindful of details.
They plan ahead, think about how their behavior
affects others, and are mindful of deadlines.
 Conscientiousness

Someone scoring lower in this primary personality trait is less

structured and less organized.
They may postpone to get things done, sometimes missing
deadlines completely.
High
 Spends time preparing
 Finishes important tasks right away
 Pays attention to detail
 Enjoys having a set schedule
Low
 Dislikes structure and schedules
 Makes messes and doesn't take care of things
 Fails to return things or put them back where they belong
 Procrastinates important tasks
 Fails to complete necessary or assigned tasks
Twin Studies & Personality
 Research suggests that both biological and
environmental influences play a role in
shaping our personalities.
 Twin studies suggest that both nature and
nurture play a role in the development of
each of the five personality traits.2
 The identical twins 127 pairs of fraternal twins.
 The findings suggested that the heritability of
each personality trait was 53% for extraversion,
41% for agreeableness, 44% for
conscientiousness, 41% for neuroticism, and
61%
 Determinants of Personality
 After understanding the meaning of personality, the
next question is
 What makes the personality of an individual or how
the personality of an individual is developed. ?
 Major determinants of personality?

a) Heredity: Heredity is referred to those attributes of

personality which are determined at the time of conception of
an individual. The characteristics such as body type, build, facial
attractiveness, eye color, hair color, height, temperament, sex,
energy level and reflexes are generally inherited from the
parents either completely or partially.
b) Environment: No doubt that heredity is an important
determinant of the personality, but, if all traits of personality
were determined by heredity, they would be fixed at the time of
the birth and would never change in the life span of an
individual. Sadly, it is not true. This means that personality of an
individual is determined as much by the environment as it does
by the heredity
 Determinants of
Personality
c)Family: Family is one of very important determinants of
personality. It affects the personality development of an
individual specifically in the early phases of the life. Influence
of family on a person’s personality is determined by the
following factors:
 Socio-economic level of the family size
 Birth order of the child Race
 Religion
 Education level of parents
LEARNING
 LEARNING

LEARNING
2.4.1. TYPES OF LEARNING
 Learning can be defined as the

permanent change in behavior due to

direct and indirect experience.
 It means change in behavior, attitude due

to education and training, practice and

experience. It is completed by acquisition
of knowledge and skills, which are
relatively permanent.