Personality characteristics that are valued in teams: Not always "more is better"?

Int J Psychol. 2019 Oct;54(5):638-649. doi: 10.1002/ijop.12511. Epub 2018 Jul 16.

Abstract

This study investigates the relationships between personality traits and contributions to teamwork that are often assumed to be linear. We use a theory-driven approach to propose that extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness have inverted U-shaped relationships with contributions to teamwork. In a sample of 220 participants asked to perform a creative task in teams, we found that extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness were curvilinearly associated with peer-rated contributions to teamwork in such a way that the associations were positive, with a decreasing slope, up to a peak, and then they became negative as personality scores further increased. We replicated the results concerning the non-linear association between extraversion, conscientiousness and peer-rated contributions to teamwork in a sample of 314 participants engaged in a collaborative learning exercise. Our results support recent claims and empirical evidence that explorations of personality-work-related behaviours relationships should move beyond the linearity assumptions. We conclude by discussing the implications of our research for personnel selection.

Keywords: Big five-factor model; Groups; Teams; Teamwork.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Personality / physiology*
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data*
  • Young Adult