Personality and job performance: Test of the mediating effects of motivation among sales representatives.
Abstract
Research shows consistent relations between personality and job performance. In this study the authors develop and test a model of job performance that examines the mediating effects of cognitive-motivational work orientations on the relationships between personality traits and performance in a sales job (N = 164). Covariance structural analyses revealed proximal motivational variables to be influential mechanisms through which distal personality traits affect job performance. Specifically, striving for status and accomplishment mediate the effects of Extraversion and Conscientiousness on ratings of sales performance. Although Agreeableness was related to striving for communion, neither Agreeableness nor communion striving was related to success in this sales job. The importance of the proposed motivational orientations model is discussed.
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Agreeable people achieve interpersonal belonging via getting along with others.
“As a result, agreeable people achieve interpersonal belonging via getting along with others (Barrick et al., 2002;Hogan, 1983;Roberts & Robins, 2000).”
From Cultural norm fulfillment, interpersonal belonging, or getting ahead? A large-scale cross-cultural test of three perspectives on the function of self-esteem. (2015) · cites this paper as Barrick et al., 2002
Extraverts achieve interpersonal belonging via getting ahead in the social world.
“As a result, extraverts achieve interpersonal belonging via getting ahead in the social world (Barrick, Stewart, & Piotrowski, 2002;Hogan, 1983;Roberts & Robins, 2000).”
From Cultural norm fulfillment, interpersonal belonging, or getting ahead? A large-scale cross-cultural test of three perspectives on the function of self-esteem. (2015) · cites this paper as Barrick, Stewart, & Piotrowski, 2002
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- Authors
- Barrick, M. R., Stewart, G. L., & Piotrowski, M.
- Affiliations
- Michigan State University (US)
- ORCID
- Stewart, Greg L.
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Psychology
- Published
- 2002
- Volume
- 87
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 43-51
- ISSN
- 0021-9010 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1854
- OpenAlex
- W2121715516
- Cited by
- 835
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 17 · 2025: 42 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 45 · 2021: 54 · 2020: 41 · 2019: 61 · 2018: 40 · 2017: 40 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 52 · 2014: 41 · 2013: 42 · 2012: 49
- FWCI
- 18.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Employee Performance and Motivation
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
- Keywords
- personality and job performance, motivation, salespeople, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, mediation
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Commerce, Employee Performance Appraisal, Female, Humans, Male, Models, Psychological, Motivation, Personality, Task Performance and Analysis, Telephone
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