Bright sides of dark personality? A cross‐cultural study on the dark triad and work outcomes

The current study compared the relationships between the dark triad traits and various work outcomes across a Chinese (N = 239) and a United States (N = 240) employee sample. The results of multigroup structural equation modeling analyses generally revealed a “dark” pattern across the two countries for psychopathy. Machiavellianism was generally “brighter” in China compared to the United States. Narcissism seemed to display a somewhat “brighter” pattern in the United States compared to China, as narcissism was more positively related to voice behavior and work engagement, and more negatively related to exhaustion and boredom at work in the United States than in China. Practitioner points As cultures may shape the meaning of a construct, validation of the dark triad scales should be conducted before they are used in different cultures. For employees working in a multinational or multicultural environment, providing trainings on personality and culture may help them attain mutual understanding and collaboration.