Abstract
Personality theory states that people perceive and react to life events differently. Situations stressful to some, due to their personality type, may be appealing to others. The goal of this research was to study if physical laborers whose personalities were better matched with the nature of their work exhibited less psychosocial strain and injury risk than those more of a mismatched. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was used to assess the personality of 182 employees, who also answered questions about their work history, psychosocial environment, and work place. The job's physical demands also were recorded. Results indicated that interactions existed between employees' personalities, their responses to several psychosocial measures, and the job's physical requirements. Employees whose personalities were more mismatched with their work environment often exhibited higher psychosocial strain. These results provide an initial indication that use of personality theory can help us better understand the pathways by which individuals become injured while performing physical work. This research also aids ergonomists in designing the physical and psychosocial aspects of the work place to more completely match the capabilities, limitations, and preferences of people with their jobs.
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