The relationship between job satisfaction and personality type in the Irish corporate workplace
Authors
McGoldrick, Lisa
Issue Date
2014
Degree
Higher Diploma in Arts in Psychology
Publisher
Dublin Business School
Rights holder
Rights
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Abstract
The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between personality type and job satisfaction amongst corporate employees in Ireland. A survey conducted with Irish adults (N = 86) investigated the impact of the Big Five personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience) on job satisfaction, employing the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) short form. Using a correlational design, conscientiousness was found to be the strongest correlate of job satisfaction (r = .31), whilst neuroticism was negatively correlated with job satisfaction (r = -.38). Contrary to previous findings, extraversion had a non-significant relationship with job satisfaction. The Big Five had a multiple correlation of .48, and using regression analysis, accounted for a total variance of 23% in job satisfaction amongst corporate employees in Ireland. The idea that personality traits seem to be at least moderate predictors of job satisfaction is upheld by the results of this study.