Do personality traits affect productivity? Evidence from the Laboratory

While survey data supports a strong relationship between personality and labor market outcomes, the exact mechanisms behind this association remain unexplored. In this paper, we take advantage of a controlled laboratory set-up to explore whether this relationship operates through productivity. Using...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Cubel, Maria, Nuevo-Chiquero, Ana, Sánchez-Pagés, Santiago, Vidal-Fernández, Marian
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2016
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:2445/149292
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/149292
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Productivitat laboral
Tests de personalitat
Rendiment
Labor productivity
Personality tests
Performance
Descripción
Sumario:While survey data supports a strong relationship between personality and labor market outcomes, the exact mechanisms behind this association remain unexplored. In this paper, we take advantage of a controlled laboratory set-up to explore whether this relationship operates through productivity. Using a real-e ort task, we analyse the impact of the Big Five personality traits on performance. We nd that more neurotic subjects perform worse, and that more conscientious individuals perform better. These ndings are in line with previous survey studies and suggest that at least part of the e ect of personality on labor market outcomes operates through individual productivity. In addition, we nd evidence that gender and university major a ect the impact of the Big Five personality traits on performance.