Cited by 1,331Personality Traits and PsychologyJob Satisfaction and Organizational BehaviorWorkplace Violence and Bullying

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A meta-analysis of the dark triad and work behavior: a social exchange perspective

O'Boyle, Ernest H., Forsyth, Donelson R., Banks, George C., McDaniel, Michael A.·2012·Journal of Applied Psychology

DOI 10.1037/a0025679

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Abstract

We reviewed studies of the Dark Triad (DT) personality traits--Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy-and meta-analytically examined their implications for job performance and counterproductive work behavior (CWB). Relations among the DT traits and behaviors were extracted from original reports published between 1951 and 2011 of 245 independent samples (N = 43,907). We found that reductions in the quality of job performance were consistently associated with increases in Machiavellianism and psychopathy and that CWB was associated with increases in all 3 components of the DT, but that these associations were moderated by such contextual factors as authority and culture. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that the DT explains moderate amounts of the variance in counterproductivity, but not job performance. The results showed that the 3 traits are positively related to one another but are sufficiently distinctive to warrant theoretical and empirical partitioning.

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“However, instances of counter-productive work behaviours such as theft has required researchers to also concentrate on the darker side of personality (Ahmetoglu et al. 2016; Forsyth, Banks, and McDaniel 2012).”
Background
Reducing Hindering Job Demands: The Role of Belief in Life as a Zero-Sum Game and Workload
Roczniewska, M. A., & Wojciszke, B. (2021) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph181910036 · Cited by 12
“This might be especially true for undesirable malevolent characteristics that are usually “under control” because of their social undesirability [55].”
Background
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Aydınay, M., ÇAKICI, A., & ÇAKICI, A. (2021) · Journal of Global Business Insights · doi:10.5038/2640-6489.6.2.1166 · Cited by 10
“While DL traits or the causes of DL can be related to the leaders’ characteristics (Viktorovich, 2013), CWBs are associated with dark triad personality traits: Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy (O’Boyle et al., 2012).”
Background
Development of Personality across the Life Span
Atherton, O. E., Donnellan, M. B., & Robins, R. W. (2020) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108264822.017 · Cited by 15
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“Of all elements of the dark triad, psychopathy is often the most closely related with violent, dangerous, aggressive (O'Boyle et al. 2012; Rauthmann and Kolar 2012), and destructive workplace behavior (Boddy 2011).”
Background
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“Recently, the role of “the dark side of personality” has been tested in the context of CWB [12].”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluential
The Relationship Between Top Leaders' Observed Narcissistic Behaviors and Workplace Bullying
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“…indicate that Machiavellian employees have a higher overall tendency to engage in unethical behaviour (Belschak et al., 2016; Castille, Buckner, & Thoroughgood, 2018), counterproductive work behaviours (Dahling et al., 2009; O'Boyle et al., 2012), and bullying at work (Pilch & Turska, 2015).”
BackgroundInfluential
Spitefulness as a boundary condition for the relations between subtle workplace mistreatment and deviant work behavior
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Resolving the equivocal relationship of Machiavellianism and job performance: A socioanalytic perspective employing reputation, political skill, and five-factor Machiavellianism
Kückelhaus, B. P., Meurs, J. A., & Blickle, G. (2024) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2024.112728 · Cited by 9
“Moreover, in a meta-analysis, the Machiavellianism – performance relationship included zero, suggesting that moderators and mediators are likely present (O ’ Boyle et al., 2012).”
BackgroundInfluential
Religious belief and emotional vampires in organizations
Salehzadeh, R. (2024) · Management Decision · doi:10.1108/md-04-2023-0520 · Cited by 10
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Lyons, B. D., Moorman, R. H., & Michel, J. W. (2024) · Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology · doi:10.1111/joop.12522 · Cited by 11

Authors: O'Boyle, E. H., Forsyth, D. R., Banks, G. C., & McDaniel, M. A.
Affiliations: University of Richmond (US)
Virginia Commonwealth University (US)
ORCID: Forsyth, Donelson R.
Banks, George C.
Venue: Journal of Applied Psychology
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 2012-05
Volume: 97
Issue: 3
Pages: 557-579
ISSN: 0021-9010 (ISSN-L)
1939-1854
DOI: 10.1037/a0025679
OpenAlex: W2005207520
Cited by: 1,331
References: 250
Citations by year: 2026: 94 · 2025: 109 · 2024: 97 · 2023: 144 · 2022: 111 · 2021: 120 · 2020: 171 · 2019: 110 · 2018: 94 · 2017: 87 · 2016: 65 · 2015: 43 · 2014: 49 · 2013: 26 · 2012: 8
FWCI: 4.25
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Journal of Applied Psychology (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Workplace Violence and Bullying
Keywords: Dark Triad, Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, employee performance, counterproductive work behavior, social exchange theory, workplace authority, organizational culture, personality traits
MeSH terms: Antisocial Personality Disorder, Employee Discipline, Employment, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Machiavellianism, Narcissism

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A meta-analysis of the dark triad and work behavior: a social exchange perspective

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