level: Personality Development and Achievement
Questions and Answers List
Academic Achievement and Work Achievement
level questions: Personality Development and Achievement
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What traits of the "Big Five" are related to academic achievement, particularly in adolescents? | With respect to schools and learning, a strong link exists between academic achievement and openness and conscientiousness. This is likely the result of conscientious students being able to set learning goals, regulate their behaviour, and persist until goals are met. Similarly, students open to experiences may achieve higher because they respect and appreciate knowledge and discovery (Caprara, Vecchione, Alessandri, Gerbino, & Barbaranelli, 2011; Zuffiano et al., 2013). |
| Are emotions (good and bad) linked with achievement? | For positive emotions, yes it does. Emotions such as enjoyment, hope, and pride, are associated with both motivation and learning (Pekrun et al., 2011), likely because students experiencing positive emotions are able to focus on learning tasks (Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger, 2011; Helmsen, Koglin, & Petermann, 2012). Negative emotions are a bit more complex. For instance, boredom, a sense of hopelessness, and shame -particularly if the shame results from students believing they lack ability- have negative effects on motivation and learning (Linnenbrink, 2007; Pekrun et al., 2011). On the other hand, research suggest that slightly increased levels of anxiety and feelings of guilt -particularly if the guilt results from students believing they didn't try hard enough- can increase persistence on challenging tasks (Tulis & Fulmer, 2013). |
| Are emotions and emotional self-regulation related to social achievements? | Yes, there are links between emotions and emotional self-regulation with social success and social satisfaction. For example, students who are able to regulate their emotions are happier and better able to make and keep friends that those who exhibit less self-control (Durlak et al., 2011; Helmsen et al., 2012; Kross & Grossman, 2012). |
| Personality and workplace achievement have been thoroughly researched. Among the "Big Five" personality traits, what features the most towards workplace achievement? | The relationship between high conscientiousness, low neuroticism, and high job performance is one of the best-known findings (Hurtz & Donovan, 2000). These traits are also linked to work motivation and satisfaction (Woods et al., 2013). As we might expect, workers high in extraversion have higher levels of job satisfaction when employed in positions that require a great deal of social interaction, such as sales (Saksvik & Hetland, 2011). |
| When do the foundations of these workplace personality traits develop and what influences them? | The foundations of good workplace traits begins early in children's lives and is strongly influenced by schooling. "[T]here appears to be an early interaction of personality and work... The pathways of working life and the role of work in identity seem to be set in 'skeletal form' in early years of childhood" (Woods et al., 2013, p. S9). |
| How does schooling contribute to developing a good working personality? | Researchers believe that schooling is a primary influence on the development of POSITIVE personality traits, such as agreeableness, openness, and conscientiousness, and an importance source of SOCIALISATION for the world of work. For instance, to succeed in school, students must take on duties and responsibilities and commit to role expectations and social norms. They must also be able to delay gratification and to be task and goal directed and organised, all of which contributes to the development of positive personality traits and success in the workplace (Bleidorn, 2012). Further, some research suggests that personality, particularly conscientiousness has a STRONGER influence on success in both school and work performance than does cognitive ability (Zyphyur, Chaturvedi, & Arvey, 2008). |