Competition, autonomy, and prestige: Mechanisms through which the Dark Triad predict job satisfaction

• Main Authors: JONASON, Peter K., WEE, Serena, LI, Norman P.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2015
• Subjects: Narcissism; Psychopathy; Machiavellianism; Dark Triad; Job satisfaction; Workplace climate; Industrial and Organizational Psychology; Social Psychology
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/1567; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/2824/viewcontent/Competition_autonomy_prestige_av_2015.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Organizational researchers increasingly recognize the need to consider the Dark Triad traits (i.e., psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism) when explaining undesirable work outcomes (e.g., counterproductive behaviors). However, little research has focused on the motivations of those who actually hold the traits. In this study (N = 361) we examined how the Dark Triad traits predispose individuals to perceive situations as competitive, prestigious, and comprised of restrictions (i.e., autonomy) which differentially predict job satisfaction. Individuals high on psychopathy and Machiavellianism perceived their workplaces as competitive, whereas individuals high on narcissism perceived their workplaces as prestigious and with fewer restrictions. Sex differences in perceptions were fully mediated by psychopathy and Machiavellianism. We discuss our results from an Evolutionary Industrial/Organization Psychology framework.