The association between achievement goal motivation and counterproductive work behavior: the moderating effect of work engagement and the Dark Triad

Abstract

BackgroundThe objective of the article is to describe the association between counterproductive work behavior (CWB), achievement goal motivation and the moderating variables: work engagement and the Dark Triad (DT). The theoretical bases of the tested models are: the four-factor theory of achievement goal motivation (Elliot & McGregor), the CWB conception of Spector, the JD-R model of Demerouti, the work engagement model of Schaufeli and the DT conception of Paulhus and Williams.Participants and procedureAn internet study was conducted with 138 office employees as participants. The variables were measured us-ing the Polish versions of the following tools: achievement goal motivation – AGQ-R, counterproductive work behavior – CWB-C scale, work engagement – UWES, DT – the Dirty Dozen scale.ResultsThe obtained results confirm the hypothesis of the differentiated strength of the additional association of the analyzed types of achievement goal motivation (mastery approach, mastery avoidance, performance ap-proach, performance avoidance) with CWB. This link occurs in models without moderators not only for mastery avoidance. In the models with moderators, the interaction patterns are differentiated for particular types of mo-tivation; for example, work engagement interacts only with the performance approach, while DT interacts not only with the mastery approach. Three-directional interactions increase the percentage of explained variance of the models to a small degree.ConclusionsModerating effects were relatively strong within the association of performance approach with CWB. Results indicate the accuracy of the theoretical bases of the studies, as well as the need for their continuation with ac-count being taken of the types of CWB and components of DT.