Quiz 16
How Conscientious Am I?
Conscientiousness refers to the inclination to work hard, to be thorough, and to be dependable and responsible. It also tends to relate to one’s ability to subscribe to socially prescribed expectations. Conscientiousness—or lack thereof—is considered to be a major personality trait.
Conscientiousness is a particularly interesting personality trait because it can continue to develop well into adulthood. (So, even if you were a major slacker as an adolescent, you could be conscientious today.) Perhaps this is because society tends to offer many rewards to those who are industrious.
Not too surprising, conscientiousness correlates with high job-performance ratings and professional achievement. But what you may not know is that it also tends to correlate with healthy life-style behaviors, longevity, and even with marital stability.
Are you conscientious? Here’s a chance to find out.
Take the Test
For each of the following statements, indicate the number of the statement that corresponds to your level of agreement or disagreement:
1. Strongly disagree
2. Somewhat disagree
3. Feel neutral or are not sure
4. Somewhat agree
5. Strongly agree
1. I only make promises I know I can keep.
2. I will work as hard as necessary to meet a deadline.
3. I take personal pride in my work.
4. I won’t shortcut a task if it means lessening the quality of my work.
5. I’m not especially punctual.
6. I know where I can find everything I need to get a job done.
7. People see me as someone they can count on.
8. I enjoy researching to find the best solution to a problem.
9. I am very fastidious about personal health and hygiene.
10. I vacillate when making decisions.
11. I get very wrapped up in my work.
12. I am concerned with following appropriate social protocols.
13. I have a lot of self-control.
14. I am good at following directions.
15. I procrastinate on parts of a task or job I do not like to do.
16. I use willpower to resist temptation.
17. I tend to get more diligent and determined as I grow older.
18. I know how to conduct myself in virtually any social situation.
19. I am spontaneous, and I dislike making plans.
20. If I were to visit a foreign country on business, I would research its culture first.
21. I look to find out what the speed limit is wherever I am driving.
22. If I am taking medication, I take it on schedule and as prescribed.
23. I tend to observe family or religious traditions.
24. I’m good about remembering birthdays and anniversaries.
25. I am accident-prone.
Scoring and Explanation
Before tallying your total points, be sure to reverse the score (5 = 1, 4 = 2, 3 = 3, 2 = 4, 1 = 5) for the following items: 5, 10, 15, 19, 25. Remember, in reversing the score, high numbers are traded for low and vice versa. Unless you reverse the scores for the items listed—and only for the items listed—your result will be inaccurate. See the Introduction to this book for a full explanation of reverse scoring.
Tally your points:
• A score of 101-125 indicates a high level of conscientiousness. You are focused and goal-directed. You have good impulse control and are willing to delay short-term gratification if it gets in the way of what you wish to accomplish in the long run. You are scrupulous about making a game plan and carrying through with that plan. Chances are you start each day with a to-do list and don’t quit until you have checked each item off. Those whom you live and work with know they can count on you.
• A score of 81-100 indicates a moderate level of conscientiousness. You can do a pretty good job of accomplishing what you want when you have a mind to, but there are circumstances in which you’ll cheerfully cut a few corners. You may have some resistance to following rules prescribed by others, and you’ll look for loop-holes now and then.
• A score of 80 or below suggests a relatively low level of conscientiousness. Chances are you can easily be distracted from achieving a goal if a pleasurable temptation beckons. But at the end of the day, you may wonder why it feels like you got few things done that you meant to get done. If you’d like to be more conscientious, there is certainly hope for you. This is a trait you can consciously work on, one step at a time. Try setting relatively modest goals that you know you can reach, and work toward them. As you achieve each one, your self-confidence will build and you can set a slightly grander goal. The key for you may lie in simple organizational techniques. Consider purchasing a day planner that will help you define your goals and help you keep track of how you spend your time.
..................Content has been hidden....................
You can't read the all page of ebook, please click here login for view all page.