Dispositional Approach and Job Satisfaction

Abstract

Dispositional approach and job satisfaction within organizations can perceived through the facets of the Five Factor Model of dispositional personality traits and through the assumption of individual attitudes. Dispositional personality traits of the Five Factor Model: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience focuses on characteristic patterns of thinking, behaving, and feeling. Dispositional approach of assuming individual attitudes focuses on motivational a characteristic that varies according to individuals needs and motives.

Dispositional Approach and Job Satisfaction

Introduction

            Dispositional approach assumes individuals stability and long-lasting dispositions to display certain behaviors, attitudes, and emotions. Dispositional theory assumes that there are a finite number of personality traits that can be measured, evaluated, and observed. This theory connects with the specialization of Industrial and Organizational theory through the concept of understanding job satisfaction. Dispositional theories, assume that job satisfaction is rooted in the personological makeup of the individual (Bowling, Beehr, & Lepisto, 2006).

Dispositions can vary according to situations and can explain why people act in predictable ways in different settings. Individuals have different sets of dispositions that vary in strengths and imply unique patterns. Dispositional approach assumes various traits, which are continuing qualities that individuals possess in different amounts. Traits can be viewed through theorist Gordon Allport (1897-1967), Raymond Cattell (1905-1998), and Hans J. Eysenck (1916-1997). Trait theory of Gordon Allport assumed three different kinds of traits: Central traits, characteristics that organize and control behavior; Secondary traits, characteristics that are more specific to certain situations and control far less behavior; Cardinal traits, which are dispositions that are so general and pervasive that they govern virtually everything a person does (Feist, Feist, & Roberts, 2013).

Raymond Cattell's trait theory assumes three sources that are required for any analysis of the dimensions of personality. The three sources are L-data: Gathered from one's life records. Q-data: information gathered from questionnaires and interviews. T-data: information obtained from objective testing situations. Eysenck focused on organizational traits that could be grouped under three dimensions Extraversion/Introversion (E), Neuroticism/-Stability (N), and Psychoticism/Superego Function (P). These dimensions characterize individuals based on their orientation toward stimulations from specific environments and measures emotional stability-instability. Eysenck trait theory groups the Five Factor Model of personality that can be integrated to capture the full complexity of human personality.

This document will briefly discuss dispositional approach and job satisfaction. Discussed within the introduction is the perception of dispositional approach and traits theories that connect the perception of dispositional theory. Dispositional approach and job satisfaction within this document will focuses on organizational and employee perceptions according to the specialization of Industrial and Organizational psychology. Included within this document is the rationale in choosing dispositional theory and two prime sources in review of dispositional approach and job satisfaction.

Rationale

The rationale in choosing Dispositional Theory was the assumptions of dispositional approach assumes two approaches, such as stability of personality and differences between individuals. Stability of personality assumes that people display consistency in their actions, thoughts, and feelings between situations and over time. Differences between individuals assume composition of dispositions varies from person to person. Individual personality perceives a pattern of dispositions which forms variations of characteristics.

Through dispositional theory, organizational traits can be grouped under facets of the five factor model. The five factor model characterizes people according to his or her orientation toward sources of stimulations depending on the environment (work, social, et. al. ). Through the five factor theory, dispositional traits perceive behavior as complex and influenced by many traits.

Primary Sources

Through primary sources, dispositional theory and job satisfaction assumes that an employee’s attitude about his or her job originates from an internal state and through dispositional personality traits of the five factor model. Through two primary source articles, dispositional approach can be linked within understanding facets of job satisfaction within organizations.

Primary source article “The Dispositional Approach to Job Satisfaction: More than A Mirage but not yet an Oasis” by Staw and Cohen-Charash (2005) discusses the dispositional approach to job satisfaction within organizations and the employees. Organizations can mold an individual's perceptions through socialization and group influence. Organizations are substantial on an individual's attitude and behaviors (Staw & Cohen-Charash, 2005). According to Staw and Cohen-Charash, (2005) job satisfaction can be viewed in various processing steps according to how individual differences influence attitude and personality variables. Dispositional approaches assume organizations contribute equally to individual attitude and behavioral actions according to an individual's responsibilities, pay rate, and social standings. 

Organizations look to achieve individuals that transcribe themselves in terms of background and personality. Studies conducted on dispositional approach and job satisfaction have connected attitudes in relation with dispositions according to what type of job an individual holds and stability (Staw & Cohen-Charash, 2005). Jobs satisfaction stability can be viewed through dispositional factors that influence work-related attitudes and determinants of the work environment. Dispositional theories are a combination of several thoughts about human personality (Bowling, Beehr, & Lepisto, 2006).

The second primary source, “The personality dispositional approach to job satisfaction and organizational commitment” by Tziner, Waismal-Manor, Vardi, and Brodman (2008) this article focuses on personality traits characterized by the five factor model for views of job satisfaction. Job satisfaction can be connected to attitudes depending on aspects of work conditions, recognition, and pay scale (Tziner et. al., 2008).

The five factor model of dispositional personality traits characterize independent variables, such as Neuroticism, poor emotional adjustment, anxiety, insecurity, and hostility; Extraversion, sociable, active, and experience positivity; Openness to Experience, nonconforming and eccentric; Agreeableness, trusting, caring, and gentle; and Conscientiousness, achievement and dependability (Tziner et. al., 2008). The perspective of job satisfaction within an organization, dispositional approach view personality traits as an influence on job satisfaction. The dispositional approach of the five factor model assumes that a combination of traits, such as agreeableness and conscientiousness can lead to job satisfaction. However a combination of neuroticism and conscientiousness can lead to facets of anxiety and stress of trying to overachieve (Tziner et. al., 2008).

Job satisfaction concepts of the five factor model present positive and negative perceptions of individual characteristics (Funder, 2010). Through combinations of personality traits, perceptions concluded that most are related to job satisfaction without the contention of neuroticism (Sirgy, 2012). The five factors closely describe facets of characteristics that connect to job satisfaction and hold various influences as factors satisfaction and stability within organizations (Judge, Heller, & Mount, 2002).

Conclusion

            Dispositional theories are a combination of several thoughts about human personality. The dispositional approach focuses on the predisposition to experience related to behavior over a period of time. Accordingly, this approach assumes various concepts of dispositional personality traits and attitudes that may originate from an individual internal state (Staw & Cohen-Carash, 2005). Dispositional approach and job satisfaction can be perceived through the Five Factor Model of dispositional personality traits and the assumptions of attitudes. Each perception conceives a notion on dispositional approach to job satisfaction, personality variables, and individual differences.

References

Bowling, N.A., Beehr, T.A., & Lepisto, L. R. (2006). Beyond job satisfaction: a five-year prospective analysis of the dispositional approach to work attitudes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 69(2), 315-330. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2006.04.004

Feist, G., Feist, J., Roberts, T.A. (2013) Theories of Personality, Humanities & Social Sciences. McGraw- Hill.

Funder, D. (2010). The Personality Puzzle. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company

Judge, T. A., & Larsen, R. J. (2001). Dispositional affect and job satisfaction: A review and theoretical extension. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 86(1), 67-98.

Sirgy, J. M., (2012). The Psychology of Quality of Life: Hedonic Well-Being, Life Satisfaction, and Eudaimonia. New York, NY: Springer Publishing

Staw, B. M. & Cohen-Charash, Y. (2005). The dispositional approach to job satisfaction: More than a mirage, but not yet an oasis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26, 57-78. DOI: 10.1002/job.299

Tziner, A., Waismal-Manor, R., Vardi, N. & Brodman, A. (2008). The personality dispositional approach to job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Psychology Reports, 103, 435-442. DOI: 10.2466/pr0.103.2.435-442