Dark Triad of Personality, Job Satisfaction and Organizational Cynicism: A Structural Model

The impact of organizational cynicism on the relationship between dark personality traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) and job satisfaction was analysed. It was study a sample of 343 Argentinean workers. Hypotheses on direct and indirect relationships were tested by structural equation modelling. The results confirmed that the dark triad predicts cynicism (machiavellianism Upsilon = 0.39, p < 0.01; psychopathy Upsilon = 0.22, p < 0.01; narcissism Upsilon = 0.14; p < 0.05); and that cynicism fully mediates the relationship between the dark side and job satisfaction (machiavellianism: z = -4.51, p < 0.001; psychopathy: z = -3.24, p < 0.001; narcissism: z = -1.78, p < 0.05). Practical implications of findings are discussed and new lines for future studies are suggested.