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Smarter Decisions through Psychology

SCENARIO: Monica and Jennifer are coworkers that have been assigned to work on a project together. Jennifer is very organized and wants her and Monica to do really well on this project. To get started, Jennifer took some initiative and prepared a list of to-do items along with the due dates. She even color-coded the list to indicate who will do which item. Shortly after, Jennifer sends an email to Monica with the to-do list attached. Jennifer wants her partner to know that she is serious about their success.

Monica is happy her teammate has shown initiative but is surprised by Jennifer’s to-do list and feels a bit uncomfortable as she is feeling like Jennifer is micromanaging her. Monica wants to do her part on the project but is feeling anxious because she doesn’t know where she fits in. Monica is worried about working on the project. She wonders if she can succeed in this project since Jennifer is already the leader. Prior to this situation, Monica worked for a separate employer who asked her to work on a similar project. She felt anxious about her ability to successfully complete the project and attempted to communicate her feelings with a co-worker. However, her co-worker didn’t seem to understand Monica’s concerns and said that she should just ignore her feelings and get the work done.

As Monica ponders having a conversation with Jennifer, she starts to feel overwhelmed and thinks it might just be easier to be removed from the project.
Date here
Using your problem solving and self and social awareness skills and what you have learned about personality traits and emotions, answer the questions in this case study assignment. Remember, you are to help Monica calm her anxiety and find a solution to her problem.
For each question, you should write a paragraph-length response (5–7 sentences) to receive credit for this assignment. You may use your Sophia tutorials as a resource.
Question 1: What are the Big 5 personality traits? Name and describe each of them.

Question 2: Consider the different approaches to the project taken by both Monica and Jennifer. On which of the Big 5 personality traits do they most differ? Discuss these differences in their personality traits.

Question 3: Using what you learned about emotions, what advice would you give to Monica? Describe a specific strategy that Monica can use to manage her emotions and successfully complete the project.

Question 4: If you were in this situation, how confident are you that you could successfully resolve a workplace conflict like the one that Monica faced? What past experiences or knowledge influence your answer? Explain how your experience or knowledge can resolve a similar workplace conflict.

Sample Answer

Question 1: What are the Big 5 personality traits? Name and describe each of them.

The Big Five personality traits, commonly remembered by the acronym OCEAN, represent five broad dimensions that psychologists use to describe human personality. The first, Openness to Experience, refers to an individual’s appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, curiosity, and variety of experience. People high in openness are typically imaginative and insightful, while those low in openness tend to be more conventional and resistant to change. The second trait is Conscientiousness, which describes a person’s tendency to be organized, disciplined, dutiful, achievement-oriented, and dependable. Highly conscientious individuals are efficient and thorough, whereas those with lower conscientiousness might be more impulsive or careless. Third is Extraversion, which indicates how outgoing, energetic, assertive, and sociable an individual is. Extraverts enjoy social interaction and are often enthusiastic, while introverts prefer solitude and may be more reserved. Fourth is Agreeableness, reflecting how

Full Answer Section

compassionate, cooperative, kind, and trusting a person is. Highly agreeable individuals tend to be friendly and sympathetic, while those low in agreeableness might be more competitive or suspicious. Finally, Neuroticism (sometimes referred to as Emotional Stability) assesses the tendency to experience negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, depression, and vulnerability. Individuals high in neuroticism may be prone to emotional instability, while those low in neuroticism tend to be calm and emotionally resilient.

Question 2: Consider the different approaches to the project taken by both Monica and Jennifer. On which of the Big 5 personality traits do they most differ? Discuss these differences in their personality traits.

Monica and Jennifer appear to differ most significantly on the Big Five personality traits of Conscientiousness and Neuroticism. Jennifer’s proactive behavior, her highly organized approach to creating a detailed, color-coded to-do list with due dates, and her explicit desire for project success strongly indicate a high degree of Conscientiousness. She is demonstrating typical traits of someone who is efficient, organized, and achievement-striving. Conversely, Monica’s surprise, discomfort, and feeling of being micromanaged by such a detailed plan suggest a potential difference in their preferred level of structure and control, possibly indicating a lower relative conscientiousness or at least a preference for a more collaborative, less pre-defined approach. Furthermore, Monica’s feelings of anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, wondering where she fits in, and her contemplation of being removed from the project are strong indicators of higher Neuroticism (or lower emotional stability). Jennifer, by contrast, seems to exhibit lower neuroticism, confidently taking charge without apparent distress over her assertive method. This stark difference in emotional response to the project’s onset highlights a significant divergence in their neuroticism levels.

Question 3: Using what you learned about emotions, what advice would you give to Monica? Describe a specific strategy that Monica can use to manage her emotions and successfully complete the project.

Monica’s current state of anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, and questioning her place in the project stems from a combination of the current situation and past negative experiences. The most crucial advice for Monica is to recognize that her emotions are valid signals, not weaknesses to be ignored, and that healthy emotional regulation is key. Suppressing these feelings, as

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Smarter Decisions through Psychology

Sample Answer

Question 1: What are the Big 5 personality traits? Name and describe each of them.

Full Answer Section

Question 2: Consider the different approaches to the project taken by both Monica and Jennifer. On which of the Big 5 personality traits do they most differ? Discuss these differences in their personality traits.

Question 3: Using what you learned about emotions, what advice would you give to Monica? Describe a specific strategy that Monica can use to manage her emotions and successfully complete the project.

This question has been answered.

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