The Indirect Relationship Between Religious Practices and Egoism at Work Through Dark-Triad Traits? A Sample of Polish Employees

TL;DR

This study explores how religious practices in Polish employees may reduce egoism at work through their influence on dark-triad traits.

Contribution

The paper introduces the mediating and moderating roles of dark-triad traits and ethical climate in the relationship between religious practices and workplace egoism.

Findings

Religious practices negatively affect dark-triad traits among employees with a strong perception of a bond with God.

An instrumental ethical climate strengthens the link between dark-triad traits and workplace egoism.

The study confirms the preventive role of prayer and relationship with God on dark-triad traits.

Abstract

Religious involvement promotes employee virtues and encourages prosocial behavior in the workplace. There is no research about the preventive role of religion regarding dark-triad personality traits as antecedents of antisocial behavior at work. This study verified the mechanisms underpinning the relationship between religious practices and egoism at work, focusing on the mediating role of the dark triad and the moderating roles of perception of a relationship with God and an instrumental ethical climate. It was hypothesized that among Polish employees, according to relational spirituality, religious practices have a negative effect on dark-triad personality traits only in group with the most positive perception of a bond with God. It was also hypothesized that, consistent with the concept of trait activation, an instrumental ethical climate in turn strengthens the positive effect of dark-triad personality traits on egoism at work. In the cross-sectional study participated 434 employees from Poland. Consistent with the relational spirituality approach and concept of trait activation, the preventive role of the interactive effect of prayer and perception of a relationship with God for dark triad was confirmed the same as the moderating function of an instrumental ethical climate in the relationship between psychopathy and egoism at work and Machiavellianism and egoism at work.

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