Personality and intelligence at work: exploring and explaining individual differences at work

433 Pages·2008·2.56 MB·English

by  Adrian Furnham

Personality and Intelligence at Work
Personality and Intelligence at Work examines the increasingly controversial role of
individual differences in predicting and determining behaviour at work. It combines
approaches from organisational psychology and personality theory to critically exam-
ine the physical, psychological and psychoanalytic aspects of individual differences,
and how they impact on the world of work.
Topics covered include the role of IQ at work as the best predictor of success, but
also the importance of increasingly recognised social intelligences such as emotional
intelligence (EI). The significance of personality traits and the impact of temperaments
on work performance are also examined, and the methods used to assess work
behaviour and potential are reviewed. Psychological tests, which measure personality
traits, are questioned as accurate predictors of behaviour at work, alongside other
factors such as job satisfaction, productivity, absenteeism and turnover.
This new, thoroughly revised and updated edition of Personality at Work provides a
comprehensive review of the relevant literature from psychology, sociology and man-
agement science. It will be of interest to students of organisational psychology and
business and management studies, as well as HR professionals.
Adrian Furnham is Professor of Psychology at University College London and a Fellow
of the British Psychological Society. He is on the editorial board of a number of
international journals, as well as the past elected president of the International
Society for the Study of Individual Differences. He believes work is more fun than fun
and considers himself to be a well-adjusted workaholic.
Personality and Intelligance
at Work
Exploring and explaining individual
differences at work
Adrian Furnham
First published 2008
by Routledge
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Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2008.
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Copyright © 2008 Psychology Press
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
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The publisher makes no representation, express or implied, with regard to the
accuracy of the information contained in this book and cannot accept any
legal responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions that may be made.
Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders and obtain
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are from other sources. Any omissions brought to our attention will be
remedied in future editions or reprints.
This publication has been produced with paper manufactured to strict
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Furnham, Adrian.
Personality and intelligence at work: exploring and explaining individual
differences at work / Adrian Furnham
p. cm.
ISBN 978–1–84169–585–3 (hardcover)—ISBN 978–1–84169–586–0 (pbk)
1. Personality and occupation. 2. Prediction of occupational success. 3.
Employees—Psychological testing. 4. Work—Psychological aspects. 5.
Personality and intelligence. 6. Individual differences. I. Title.
BF698.9.O3F867 2007
155.2′2—dc22
2007020404
ISBN 0-203-93891-7 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 978–1–84169–585–3 (hbk)
ISBN 978–1–84169–586–0 (pbk)
For:
The Memsahib and the Dauphin:
Godspeed and Hamba Kahle
Contents
List of figures xi
Foreword by Tim Judge xii
Preface xiv
1 Individual differences at work 1
Introduction 1
The two disciplines of differential psychology 2
The relationship between personality and intelligence 5
Explaining the relationship 7
Personality psychology 13
Seven approaches to personality at work 16
Personality and organisational behaviour 22
Longitudinal studies at work 26
Conclusion 30
2 Methods to assess work behaviour and potential 31
Introduction 31
The use of tests in selection and assessment 32
Costing assessment and assessment trends 34
Cognitive and mental-ability tests 38
Personality tests 38
Three crucial assessment issues 40
Eight questions and answers about contemporary assessment 44
Recommendations: Lessons from experience 64
The advantages and disadvantages of testing 68
Conclusion 71
3 Personality testing in the workplace 73
Introduction 73
A short history of industrial testing 73
Testing in Europe today 81
viii Contents
The occupational application of major tests 86
Research on other tests 106
Conclusion 110
4 Types, temperaments and traits at work 112
Introduction 112
Traits and types 112
Typologies 113
Temperaments 118
Traits at work 120
Does personality predict job performance? 123
Personality and specific work behaviours 128
Recent debates 134
Why personality traits do not predict behaviour at work 138
Conclusion 140
5 Personality disorders at work 141
Introduction 141
Traits and disorders 145
Disorders at work 151
The types 154
Pathological organisations 176
Conclusion 178
6 Cognitive ability at work 180
Introduction 180
Distinctions, differences and disagreements 187
Intelligence and IQ: What managers should know 189
Intelligence research and testing at work 191
Intelligence and occupational performance 193
The strong case for measuring intelligence 198
Applications and implications of testing at work 202
Controversies in intelligence research 204
Conclusion 209
7 The social intelligences at work 210
Introduction 210
Business or managerial intelligence 215
Emotional intelligence 216
Emotional intelligence at work 222
Management fads 228
Conclusion 230
Contents ix
8 Creativity at work 233
Introduction 233
Defining creativity 234
Creativity and intelligence 238
Personality and creativity 249
Creativity in business 264
Conclusion 267
9 Attitudes, beliefs, styles and values at work 268
Introduction 268
Beliefs about work 273
Belief in a just world 274
The Protestant work ethic 275
Perceived control 277
Social values and work 279
Style at work 287
Conclusion 291
10 Integrity and dishonesty at work 293
Introduction 293
Personality, integrity and dishonesty 297
Integrity testing 300
Reviews of integrity tests 304
Reactions to tests 307
The tests themselves 308
Integrity tests today 311
Integrity test validity 312
Conclusion 317
11 Competence at work 318
Introduction 318
Defining competence 319
The nature of competence 322
Competency lists 324
Methods for deciding on competencies 328
Research questions 330
The competent organisation 332
Conclusion 333
12 The future of differential psychology and assessment and selection 335
Introduction 335
The politics of assessment 339