Personality variability: a comparative study on the effects of career years on personality changes in offshore oilfield workers

Roozbehani, Abbas; Tarkhan, Morteza; Agayusofi, Alireza

doi:10.22070/cpap.2020.2837

Personality variability: a comparative study on the effects of career years on personality changes in offshore oilfield workers

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

10.22070/cpap.2020.2837

Abstract

Introduction: Stability or changes of personality during the life is one of the controversial issues in psychology. Both views have reasons to prove their hypothesis. In this study the changes in personality traits of employees of offshore oil installations were studied.

Method: The assessment tools are mid-life personality development questionnaire (MLPD) and semi-structured interview. The subjects ( N=87) were divided into three groups in terms of job history: 1 to 5 years, 6 to 10 years and up to 10 years.

Findings: Comparing the mean scores of the six dimensions of personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, conscientiousness, adaptability and agency) showed that with increasing job experience increase in conscientiousness and decline in neuroticism can be seen. But the findings of semi-structured interview showed different changes in personality traits linked to length of employment. In such a way that whatever retention period in offshore oil installations increases decline in extraversion and increase in neuroticism can be seen.

Conclusion: This finding contradicts the normative changes of personality, reflecting the impact of social status and occupation on personality traits.

Keywords