The perception of sub-clinical personality disorders by employers, employees and co-workers

Abstract

This study set out to determine people's perceptions of different dark-side personality types in the workplace. A total of 240 adults with at least one year's work experience rated vignettes describing job candidates with sub-clinical PDs. PDs were grouped into (Hogan and Hogan's 1997) personality clusters 'Moving Away from', 'Moving Against' and 'Moving Toward' others. PDs in the Moving Toward cluster were rated as the most desirable employees. Participants were least willing to work with or for PDs in the Moving Against cluster. Moving Against candidates were perceived as less successful than Moving Towards candidates, suggesting that people believe the costs of working with people with many PDs (e.g. psychopathy and narcissism) outweigh any benefits there may be. Implications and limitations are noted.