A meta-analysis of the Dark Triad and work behavior: A social exchange perspective
Ernest O'Boyle, Donelson Forsyth, George Banks and Michael McDaniel meta-analyse research on the dark triad and work behaviour across published studies from 1951 to 2011. All three traits were associated with more counterproductive work behaviour, with the strength of the link moderated by authority and culture, and Machiavellianism and psychopathy were associated with lower job performance. The traits are related but distinct enough to be studied separately. This page cites the paper for the counterproductive behaviour and job performance findings.
Ernest O'Boyle, Donelson Forsyth, George Banks and Michael McDaniel meta-analyse research on the dark triad and work behaviour across published studies from 1951 to 2011. All three traits were associated with more counterproductive work behaviour, with the strength of the link moderated by authority and culture, and Machiavellianism and psychopathy were associated with lower job performance. The traits are related but distinct enough to be studied separately. This page cites the paper for the counterproductive behaviour and job performance findings.
Written from the abstract in the author's accepted manuscript and a publisher-side summary, read 2026-10-24.
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O’Boyle, E. H., Forsyth, D. R., Banks, G. C., & McDaniel, M. A. (2012). A meta-analysis of the Dark Triad and work behavior: A social exchange perspective. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97(3), 557-579. doi:10.1037/a0025679