Question Asked: Does DISC show personality and behavior and DISA show behaviour only?

Stephen, what are the differences in personality and behavior? Does DISC show personality and behavior and DISA show behaviour only?

Hi M********

Yes, there is a difference between personality and behaviour, and understanding the difference is key to how models like DISC and DISA are applied.

Personality vs. Behaviour

Personality refers to the traits, attitudes, and emotions that are deeply ingrained in a person. It is relatively stable and consistent over time. Personality is about who you are at your core, shaped by both biology and life experiences.

Behaviour, on the other hand, is the way you act and respond in different situations. Unlike personality, behaviour can change depending on circumstances, environments, and external influences. Behaviour is more observable and flexible than personality. It’s about what you do and how you choose to react in a given moment.

DISC and DISA: Personality vs. Behaviour

DISC (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Compliance) (William Moulton Marston) is often interpreted as a personality assessment. It helps individuals understand core aspects of their behavioural tendencies that are related to deeper, relatively stable personality traits. It gives insights into how people prefer to interact, communicate, and make decisions based on their personality types.

DISA, which derives from the Swedish version of DISC (Thomas Erikson), is more focused on behaviour in terms of adaptable responses in specific environments. It shows how people act in certain contexts and how these behaviours can shift based on external factors. DISA is purely behavioural, aiming to help people recognise the behaviours that surface in interactions with others, rather than uncovering deeper personality traits.