Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 11, 2026
11:51
Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making
Published on: March 2, 2011
15.7K
Employees High in Personal Intelligence Differ From Their Colleagues in Workplace Perceptions and Behavior
John D Mayer1, Brendan Lortie1, A T Panter2
1a Department of Psychology , University of New Hampshire.
Journal of Personality Assessment
|May 3, 2018
Summary
Personal intelligence (PI) enhances workplace understanding. Higher PI correlated with better workplace support and reduced counterproductive behaviors, suggesting its value in employee selection and training.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Organizational Behavior
- Human Resources
Background:
- Personal intelligence (PI) is the capacity to recognize, reason with, and utilize personality information for self and interpersonal understanding.
- Effective workplace functioning relies on interpersonal dynamics and individual behavioral patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between personal intelligence and workplace perceptions and behaviors.
- To assess the utility of the Test of Personal Intelligence (TOPI) in organizational settings.
Main Methods:
- Two studies involving 394 and 482 employees, respectively.
- Participants completed the Test of Personal Intelligence (TOPI) and assessments of workplace perception and behavior.
- Statistical analyses controlled for confounding variables.
Main Results:
- Higher personal intelligence was significantly associated with increased perceived workplace support.
- Elevated personal intelligence correlated with a decrease in counterproductive work behaviors.
- These associations remained robust after controlling for other relevant variables.
Conclusions:
- The Test of Personal Intelligence (TOPI) demonstrates potential as a valuable tool for employee selection and targeted training programs.
- Enhancing personal intelligence may contribute to more positive and productive work environments.
- Further research and validation of the TOPI in diverse organizational contexts are warranted.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Dark Triad and Person Perception
307
Person perception is influenced by both external behaviors and the observer’s internal characteristics, including personality traits. Individuals with dark personality traits, comprising psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism — collectively known as the dark triad – exhibit manipulative and exploitative tendencies in social contexts. These traits affect how they perceive others and how they are perceived.The Role of Dark Personality Traits in Person PerceptionBlack et...
307
01:19The Behavioral Perspective on Personality
846
Behaviorists view personality as primarily shaped by environmental reinforcements and consequences. According to this perspective, behavior is influenced by external stimuli, and individuals adjust their actions based on rewards and punishments. Over time, learning histories — accumulated patterns of reinforcement — play a significant role in shaping personality. Behaviors that lead to positive outcomes are reinforced, while those resulting in negative outcomes are diminished.
846
01:15Subliminal Perception
804
Subliminal perception refers to the processing of sensory information that occurs below the level of conscious awareness. Researchers study subliminal perception by presenting a stimulus, such as a word or image, very quickly, typically around 50 milliseconds. This rapid presentation is often followed by another stimulus, such as a pattern of dots or lines, which blocks further mental processing of the initial stimulus. As a result, if participants cannot identify the initial stimulus better...
804
01:25Factors Affecting Perception
2.8K
Perception is influenced by perceptual set, context, motivation, and emotion. Perceptual set, or perceptual expectancy, refers to the tendency to perceive things in a particular way, influenced by previous experiences and expectations. This phenomenon affects the interpretation of stimuli, creating a set of mental tendencies and assumptions that impact sensory perceptions of sound, taste, touch, and sight.
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...
2.8K
01:28Perception
1.2K
Perception is a fundamental psychological process that enables individuals to organize, interpret, and consciously experience sensory information. This process is crucial for understanding and interacting with the world around us. It includes both bottom-up and top-down processing, each playing a distinct role in how we perceive our environment.
Bottom-up processing begins at the sensory level, where receptors detect external environmental stimuli. These could include the tactile sensation of...
Bottom-up processing begins at the sensory level, where receptors detect external environmental stimuli. These could include the tactile sensation of...
1.2K
01:27Intelligence
8.7K
The term "intelligence" is complex because it refers to both behavior and individuals, and its interpretation varies across cultures. European Americans tend to link intelligence with reasoning and cognitive skills, while in Kenya, it is tied to responsible participation in family and social life. In Uganda, intelligence is seen as the ability to know the right actions and carry them out effectively, while the Iatmul people of Papua New Guinea associate it with the capacity to remember...
8.7K