Trait-Based Personality Profile of Software Programmers - PowerPoint Presentation

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Trait-Based Personality Profile of Software Programmers

A Study on Pakistan’s Software Industry

By

Aamir Amin

Lecturer, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Kampar

Introduction

Major software engineering issues are related with personality of software engineers [1].

However, the research work on personality in software engineering is ongoing, immature, scarce, many areas are untapped, and the results are inconclusive and feeble [1] [3] [4] [5].

Moreover, most of the research work in this area is conducted in western countries [5] and the research on south Asian software professionals is scarce [6].

Problem Statement

Most of the earlier profiles of personality in software engineering are based on personality types and not the traits.

Insignificant research work on personality profile of programmers.

Literature Review

Personality in Software Engineering

Programmer’s Personality

Five Factor Model

Personality in SE

Personality has an impact on software engineer's judgment, decision making [7] as well as the choice of processes, methods and techniques [8].

According to Cruz, Da Silva and Capretz [5]:

Most of the work on personality in software engineering has been conducted recently (72% after 2002).

More than half of the studies were conducted in western culture especially United States

The respondents of majority of the studies were students (60%).

As for the personality tests, majority of the studies have used Myers-Brigg Type Indicator (MBTI) (48%) followed by the Big Five (BF) or Five Factor Model (FFM) (17%).

Programmer’s Personality

Programming is a human centric task; hence programmer's personality has been a subject of interest [11]

Few researchers have analyzed the relationship between personality and programming (i.e. [11] [12]).

As for the personality profile of programmers:

Using MBTI, as in [1] concluded that the job of a programmer requires attention to details as well as a logical and analytical thinking style which is Thinker and Sensor

Personality Type

.

In the past, it was believed that a programmer is likely to be an introvert.

Using FFM, theoretical study of [15] concluded that major traits of programmers are extraversion, openness to experience and agreeableness.

Nowadays the software industry needs individuals who are extroverts and who possess better interpersonal communication skills [1].

Five Factor Model (FFM) [18] [19]

Methodology

Sample size determination through G Power 3.0 program.

Required Sample = 146

Multistage probability sampling method.

Data was gathered from 294 programmers working in a Offshore Software Development Outsourcing (OSDO) environment in Pakistan.

Pre-validated survey instrument using 5-point likert scale.

This research work has adopted the BFI instrument by [24] to measure personality traits

Response Rate

In Person

Enumerator

Email

Total

Total number of Questionnaire sent

246

111

81

438

Invalid Responses (incl. loss, no return, incomplete, refusal to participate etc.)

41

60

45

144

Valid Responses

205

53

36

294

Response Rate

83.33%

47.74%

44.44%

67.12%

Data Analysis

SPSS

Mean and standard deviation

Through mean values, the personality trait which has the highest mean value signifies the trait most prominent among programmers

Results and Discussion

Reliability Analysis

Variable

Cronbach's

Alpha

Composite Reliability

Total No. of Items

Final of Items

Agreeableness

0.909

0.933

9

5

Conscientiousness

0.893

0.921

9

5

Extraversion

0.755

0.844

8

4

Neuroticism

0.940

0.952

8

6

Openness to Experience

0.954

0.961

10

9

Multicollinearity

According to the results, The VIF values of all the variables are below the threshold of 10.

Variable

VIF

Agreeableness

3.877

Conscientiousness

4.745

Extraversion

1.063

Neuroticism

1.280

Openness to Experience

2.432

Validity Analysis

Average Variance Extracted (AVE) was used to analyse the convergent validity. All values are above the threshold of 0.5.

Variable

AVE

Agreeableness

0.735

Conscientiousness

0.700

Extraversion

0.576

Neuroticism

0.769

Openness to Experience

0.732

Programmer’s Personality Profile

According to results, agreeableness trait scored highest mean value of 3.64, followed by conscientiousness trait.

Descriptive Statistics

N

Mean

Std. Deviation

Extraversion

294

3.27

0.72

Agreeableness

3.64

1.00

Conscientiousness

3.61

0.99

Neuroticism

2.70

1.17

Openness to Experience

3.31

1.00

Discussion

A programmer has to be polite, cooperative, patient and calm [28]. These attributes correspond well with the attributes associated with agreeableness trait such as cooperation with others, calmness and kindness / politeness [4] [18] [19].

Programmers need to be able to pay attention to details, should be able to work independently and are analytical and logical [1]. These attributes correspond well with the conscientiousness trait attributes such as being attentive, thorough and systematic [18] [19].

Secondly, in a collectivist culture, there is more emphasis on group harmony in contrast to individual achievement [29]. Pakistan is a collectivist society, where a strong grouping structure prevails among employees [30]. Hence, it is plausible that most of the programmers in Pakistani context possess agreeable or conscientiousness traits.

The results of this research are also in congruence with the prior studies. Studies like [2] [15] [18] considered agreeableness as the dominant trait among programmers. Furthermore, studies like [2] and [31] also indicated towards prevalence of conscientiousness trait among programmers.

Discussion (Cont.)

In present study, extraversion and neuroticism has scored the least among all the personality traits.

As for extraversion, as in [17], programmers mostly scored less in extraversion trait due to their interest in computers which comes with compromising their social lives and vice versa.

As for neuroticism, this can be due to the attributes associated with the neuroticism trait. A neurotic individual shows lack of self-confidence and calmness which, as mentioned earlier, are important traits of a programmer [28]. Neurotic individuals also exhibit distraction from work [32], whereas programmers need to be focused in their task [28].

Conclusion

The present research attempted to develop the trait-based profile of the programmers working in the OSDO environment in Pakistan.

The results showed that agreeableness and conscientiousness traits are the dominant traits among programmers working in Pakistan whereas extraversion and neuroticism are the marginal ones.

The study is one of the few studies conducted on personality traits in a south Asian country. Moreover, it adds to the body of knowledge which is growing and, due to the inconsistencies, require further investigation.

Future work of this study is to analyze the personality traits of Software developers from other Asian countries. This will help to identify the general personality traits of Software developers in Asian countries.

The study is a small part of a detailed doctoral study on impact of programmer’s personality traits on creativity

References

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Fakultät

Informatik

,

Elektrotechnik

und

Informationstechnik

.

Institut

für

Softwaretechnologie

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