The Influence of Dark Personality on Counterproductive Work Behaviors

Abstract

Prior research has found a negative association between leader-member exchanges (LMX) and counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs; Bowling & Michel, 2011; Chang & Lyons, 2012; Chernyak-Hai & Tziner, 2014; Sulea, Fine, Fischmann, Save, & Dumitru, 2013). In addition, prior research has found positive associations between Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy with CWBs (Buckels, Jones & Paulhus, 2013; Linton & Power, 2013; O’Boyle, Forsyth, Banks, & McDaniel, 2012). Utilizing a sample of 282 participants recruited via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, the aforementioned findings were replicated in the current study. In addition, the current study revealed a positive association between sadism and CWBs, as well as Machiavellianism and sadism as predictors of CWBs. Further, the current study established that dark personality traits did not moderate the association between LMX and CWB. These findings contribute to the growth of knowledge in the body of research on personality and organizational behaviors. This study marks the first examination of the predictability of sadism for CWBs and dark personality traits as moderators in the association between LMX and CWB.