Dark personality traits and workplace recommendations: Does job dissatisfaction trigger the trait-specific dominant Effect?

This study explores the relationship between Dark Triad (DT) traits—psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism—and employees’ likelihood to recommend their workplace to a friend (RTF) and understand whether job dissatisfaction triggers the trait-dominant effect for DT traits. The study analyzed 2,473,968 employee reviews from Glassdoor.com using the Language Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) program. We found a significant negative relationship between DT traits and RTF. The situational cue of job dissatisfaction triggered trait-specific responses for psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism in distinct ways. This research contributes to the scholarship of Trait Activation Theory (TAT) by enriching our understanding of RTF in the context of differential triggering effects of workplace dissatisfaction on DT traits. The findings provide practical insights for managers to moderate the situational cues triggering the activation of these traits.