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Byte size learning skills course of 1 comprehensive session

Psychology as a body of knowledge is used by a large proportion of industrial, business and commercial organisations in the private sector and also many areas of the public sector. The application of psychology in organisations can range from situations where large overall programmes are in place to smaller departmental initiatives where psychological techniques, such as aids to selection and promotion procedures, are used.

Within the discipline of psychology, personality is a field of study rather than a particular aspect of the individual. No other area of psychology covers as much ground as the field of personality, which overlaps extensively with neighbouring areas.

Many theories support our current understanding of personality. In this session, you examine five broad theoretical areas. Theorists conceptualise personality in a variety of different ways and it is important for you to appreciate these in order that you can find ways that you think about yourself and others.

Theories provide an orientation and perspective that stimulate different types of research. They also lead to different approaches for assessing personality, testing and to thinking about people in organisations. Trait and biological theories have provided the basis for many modern psychometric tests for personality in organisations.

Perception is another field of study within psychology. This overlaps with personality. We examine the processes involved in perception and the importance of social perception in organisations.

Characteristics of individuals explained by personality theories can be used in selection procedures and in post-selection situations (promotion and appraisal) Ensuring the right people are selected for organisations is vital to their success, therefore you will examine approaches to selection processes and associated methods that can be used to aid rational selection of candidates for jobs in organisations.

The approaches to selection are linked to general and psychometric testing, and we pay particular attention to the rationale for tests in areas of personality and intelligence.

At the end of this course, you should be able to:

Explain and describe five theoretical approaches to personality.

Give examples of a range of different types of personality traits which may be exhibited by individuals.

Outline the processes involved in perception.

Explain the importance of social perception in organisations.

Describe why it is important to assess certain personality traits for the work place.

Explain the organisational processes involved in selecting an interview candidate for employment.

Use and describe methods for the rational selection of interview candidates for employment.

Demonstrate familiarity with certain dimensions of personality and how they may be quantified.

Explain and describe a range of tests and testing procedures employed in organisations and the selection of suitable candidates for employment and clinical evaluations.

Tutor Support

With this course you will have unlimited access to your own personal tutor who specialises in their field of study. It is your personal tutor's role to ensure that you receive constructive feedback and to deal with any queries you may have. You are more than welcome to telephone, fax or email your personal tutor.

You will also have access to a dedicated and friendly team of administrators and course advisors who offer sound and professional guidance and advice when you need it. This ensures that you will never feel neglected and that you will always succeed!

Assessment Method

After each lesson there will be a question paper, which needs to be completed and submitted to your personal tutor for marking. This method of continual assessment ensures that your personal tutor can consistently monitor your progress and provide you with assistance throughout the duration of the course.

What's Included

All study materials

Study Guide

Full Tutor and Admin support

Section 1: Individual Differences and Personality Theory
Psychodynamic approaches
Trait approaches
Humanistic approaches
Behavioural approaches
Cognitive approaches

Section 2: Perception
Elements of the perception process
Selection
Organisation
Interpretation
Social perception
Causal attribution

Section 3: Development of Selection Procedures
Job analysis
Shortlisting
The interview
Assessment of applicant
Assessing personality
Personality and job suitability
Management and candidate fit

Section 4: Psychometrics: Traits, Aptitudes and Function
Psychometrics
Testing for traits
Other tests
Factor analysis
Information technology
Tutor-marked Question Paper