The association between achievement goal motivation and counterproductive work behavior: the moderating effect of work engagement and the Dark Triad

BACKGROUND The objective of the article is to describe the association between counterproductive work behavior (CWB), achievement goal motivation and the moderating variables: work engagement and the Dark Triad (DT). The theoretical bases of the tested models are: the four-factor theory of achievement goal motivation (Elliot & McGregor), the CWB conception of Spector, the JD-R model of Demerouti, the work engagement model of Schaufeli and the DT conception of Paulhus and Williams. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE An internet study was conducted with 138 office employees as participants. The variables were measured using the Polish versions of the following tools: achievement goal motivation - AGQ-R, counterproductive work behavior - CWB-C scale, work engagement - UWES. DT - the Dirty Dozen scale. RESULTS The obtained results confirm the hypothesis of the differentiated strength of the additional association of the analyzed types of achievement goal motivation (mastery approach, mastery avoidance, performance approach, performance avoidance) with CWB. This link occurs in models without moderators not only for mastery avoidance. In the models with moderators, the interaction patterns are differentiated for particular types of motivation; for example, work engagement interacts only with the performance approach, while DT interacts not only with the mastery approach. Three-directional interactions increase the percentage of explained variance of the models to a small degree. CONCLUSIONS Moderating effects were relatively strong within the association of performance approach with CWB. Results indicate the accuracy of the theoretical bases of the studies, as well as the need for their continuation with account being taken of the types of CWB and components of DT.