Linking dark triad traits, psychological entitlement, and knowledge hiding behavior

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Organizational Behavior
• Management Science

Background:

• Knowledge hiding behavior (KHB) among academics can impede collaboration and innovation.
• Dark personality traits, including narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism (the Dark Triad), are increasingly recognized as potential drivers of negative workplace behaviors.
• Psychological entitlement may explain the link between personality and detrimental actions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empirically investigate the direct impact of Dark Triad traits on academics' KHB.
• To examine the mediating role of psychological entitlement in the relationship between Dark Triad traits and KHB.
• To understand the psychological mechanisms underlying knowledge hiding in academic settings.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative study utilizing survey data from 219 faculty members across 5 public universities in Bangladesh.
• Data collected conveniently via Google Forms.
• Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) employed for hypothesis testing.

Main Results:

• Narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism were found to have a significant direct positive influence on knowledge hiding behavior.
• Psychological entitlement significantly mediated the relationship between each of the Dark Triad traits and knowledge hiding behavior.
• The findings confirm that dark personality traits predict KHB, with psychological entitlement playing a crucial mediating role.

Conclusions:

• Dark Triad traits are significant predictors of knowledge hiding behavior among academics.
• Psychological entitlement is a key mechanism through which dark personality traits manifest as knowledge hiding behavior.
• Findings offer insights for university administrators to develop strategies addressing knowledge hiding, considering the influence of dark personality traits and entitlement.