A study on relations between dark triad personality traits, organizational cynicism and knowledge hiding behaviour

Knowledge hiding is an intentional attempt by an individual to withhold task-related information, opinion or specialized knowledge that has been requested by another person. Organizational cynicism is a negative attitude towards organizations comprising cynic belief, negative affect and critical behavior. Machiavellism, Narcissism, Psychopathy known as Dark Triad refers to a set of socially aversive traits in subclinical range. In this study,it was aimed to explore relationships between these constructs by using quantitative analysis methods and it was searched whether Organizational Cynicism has a mediation role on the relationship between Dark Triad Traits and Knowledge Hiding Behaviour. Under the study, after necessary Ministerial approvals, a questionnaire was conducted on staff who is actively working in different hierarchical positions and in several service buildings of a Ministry located in Ankara. By the questionnaire, it was aimed to scale Dark Triad Traits, Organizational Cynicism levels and Knowledge Hiding Behaviours of respondents. The data gathered from 241 participants was tested by SPSS – Process Macro -Model 4 and relationships between variables and the mediation role was analyzed. In regard to results, it is understood that 2 dimensions of Dark Triad Traits, Machiavelism and Psychopathy, are positively related with 2 dimensions of Knowledge Hiding Behaviour, Evasive Hiding and Playing Dumb. And also, a mediation role of Organizational Cynicism was found on all of these positive relationships. However, any significant relationship could be detected between neither Narcissism and Evasive Knowledge Hiding nor Narcissism and Organizational Cynicism.