Evaluation of relationships between personality traits and leadership perceptions of Y generation members

Personality, is one of the terms that has broad scope in the field of psychology. The differences that humanbeings display, have made the description of this term as well as the evaluation of its impact necessary. Similarly, the term leadership differs based on the perceptions of individuals, societies, cultures, and generations. The personality traits and their expectations about leadership of members of the Y Generation, who will be the decision makers of the countrie's and world's politics, business life, social life and the history of the humanity, appears to be an important topic which needs to be evaluated. In this study, it was aim to research the leadership perceptions of Y generation in the context of five factor personality characteristics. The research was carried out with the evaluations of data from 456 participants who were students in their last year and at the same time were member of the Y Generation from Faculty of Economics and Administrative sciences, faculty of science and letters from Cag University and Mersin University and faculty of law from Cag University who are foundation and state universities in the city of Mersin. To reach the findings, the scan model has been selected due to determine opinions and beliefs and to apply large sample. It was applied Quick Great Five Personality Test consists of 30 items and Leadership Applications Inventory again consists of 30 items with Survey Form. Obtained data was used in SPSS 16.0 statistics package programme. Parametric analysis of the obtained data were done to compare and determine the relations according to independent variable. Frequency, percentage, mean, arithmetic mean and standard deviation values were determined in the finding of participant's institution and gender. Mann Whitney U Test was used in statistical analysis. It was found that it was no differences on ideas on personal characteristics and leadership applications depending on being a foundation or state personality. It was found that there is significant level of connection between personal characteristics and leadership applications in the large part of sub-dimension. The results were analysis with the help of literature. Key Words: Personality, Leadership, Y Generation, Five Factor Personality