New research links “dark triad” traits to the quiet quitting phenomenon

A new study published in Acta Psychologica has found that specific personality traits may predispose senior managers to “quiet quitting.” The findings suggest that individuals with higher levels of narcissism and psychopathy are more likely to withdraw their effort at work, largely because they feel entitled to special treatment or can easily rationalize disengaging from their duties.

“Quiet quitting” became a popular term in recent years to describe employees who fulfill only the basic requirements of their job descriptions. While much of the public discussion has focused on external factors like poor pay or burnout, less attention has been paid to the internal personality characteristics that might drive this behavior. The authors of the new study sought to understand if the “Dark Triad” of personality traits could explain why some managers choose to psychologically detach from their work.

The Dark Triad consists of three distinct but related traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Narcissism involves an inflated sense of self-importance and a need for admiration. Machiavellianism is characterized by manipulation and a focus on self-interest. Psychopathy involves a lack of empathy and a tendency toward impulsive or antisocial behavior. Previous research has linked these traits to counterproductive work behaviors, such as aggression or theft.

“Our study was motivated by the growing global concern surrounding quiet quitting that poses a major challenge for organizations. Not much is known about the psychological or personality-based factors that drive this behavior,” explained study author Hanfia Rahman, a senior research fellow at the Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad.

“Additionally, managers and HR leaders increasingly report difficulty identifying and addressing quiet quitting because it is subtle, hard to detect, and poorly understood. Despite this growing concern, organizations lack evidence-based guidance on which employees are most prone to quiet quitting and why.”

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“This created a practical gap: companies had no psychological framework to anticipate or mitigate this behavior,” Rahman said. “At the same time, a theoretical gap existed because no prior research had examined whether Dark Triad personality traits predict quiet quitting. The mechanisms through which these traits influence quiet quitting was also underexplored.”

“Existing studies focused mainly on situational or environmental factors, overlooking personality-driven pathways. Additionally, most research came from WEIRD countries, limiting its relevance to diverse workforces. Addressing these practical and theoretical gaps, the study sought to build a clearer understanding of who is likely to quietly disengage and the psychological processes behind it, offering insights useful for managers.”

To test their hypotheses, the researchers recruited 402 senior-level managers from various industries in India. The sample included professionals from information technology, banking, healthcare, and manufacturing. The average age of the participants was approximately 37 years. Data collection involved a mix of face-to-face visits and online questionnaires to ensure a robust sample of high-ranking professionals.

Participants completed a series of standardized surveys. The Dark Triad traits were measured using a twelve-item scale that assessed tendencies toward manipulation, callousness, and attention-seeking. Psychological entitlement was measured by asking participants to rate their agreement with statements about deserving better treatment than their peers.

Moral disengagement was assessed through questions regarding the justification of unethical actions. Finally, the researchers measured the intention to quiet quit using a scale that evaluated enthusiasm and the willingness to go above and beyond at work.

The data analysis revealed that narcissism and psychopathy were significant predictors of quiet quitting intention. However, this influence was primarily indirect. Managers with high levels of narcissism or psychopathy reported much higher levels of psychological entitlement. They believed they were owed more by their organizations. When these expectations were not met, their sense of entitlement appeared to drive them toward withholding their effort.

Similarly, narcissism and psychopathy were strong predictors of moral disengagement. Individuals with these traits were more likely to rationalize negative behaviors. This lack of moral self-regulation allowed them to view the withdrawal of effort as acceptable or justified. The study found that this moral disengagement was a powerful precursor to the intention to quiet quit.

The results for Machiavellianism were distinct from the other two traits. When analyzed in isolation, Machiavellianism showed a connection to quiet quitting. However, when the researchers included all three traits in their complex statistical model, the unique influence of Machiavellianism disappeared.

“One result was particularly surprising,” Rahman told PsyPost. “Although Machiavellianism showed strong simple correlations with entitlement, moral disengagement, and quiet-quitting intention, these relationships were non-significant once all three Dark Triad traits were examined together in the model. This was unexpected because Machiavellianism is typically associated with manipulation and counterproductive behaviors, so we expected that it would predict quiet quitting intention.”

“It may be because people exhibiting Machiavellians tendencies often choose their behaviors carefully depending on what benefits them most. As quiet quitting involves withdrawing effort without gaining an advantage, it may not align with their strategic interests. Instead of disengaging quietly, Machiavellian employees may stay involved just enough to maintain influence, manage impressions, or position themselves favorably. This finding challenged the assumption that all Dark Triad traits operate similarly and highlighted the importance of examining their distinct effects.”

The researchers found that the combination of these personality traits and psychological mechanisms explained a substantial amount of the variance in quiet quitting intentions. The full model accounted for approximately 65 percent of the reasons why the managers in the study intended to quietly quit. This high level of predictive power indicates that personality and mindset are major factors in workplace engagement, arguably as significant as external working conditions.

“Quiet quitting doesn’t happen randomly: certain personality traits make employees more likely to disengage at work,” Rahman explained. “Our findings show that individuals who are more narcissistic or psychopathic tend to feel overly deserving and often justify putting in less effort, which increases their chances of quietly quitting.”

“The study also highlights that quiet quitting is often the result of internal psychological processes, not just workplace conditions. Feeling entitled or morally disconnected from one’s work makes it easier for someone to withdraw without guilt. The results remind us that quiet quitting is not always due to workload or culture. Sometimes, it stems from personality and how people view themselves.”

“For managers, this means that paying attention to personality and entitlement cues can help identify early signs of quiet quitting. For employees, it is a reminder to reflect on how personal beliefs and attitudes shape workplace behavior. Overall, the study shows that understanding ourselves, and not just our jobs, matters in how committed we feel at work.”

There are some limitations to this research that should be considered. The study utilized a cross-sectional design, which captures data at a single point in time. This approach prevents the researchers from proving a causal relationship.

It is possible that disengaging from work leads to feelings of entitlement rather than the other way around. Future research could employ longitudinal designs to track these behaviors over time to establish a clear cause-and-effect relationship.

The cultural context of the study is also significant. The research focused exclusively on senior managers in India. While this provides important data from a non-Western population, the results might differ in other cultural settings.

Cultural norms regarding hierarchy, duty, and work ethic could influence how personality traits manifest in the workplace. Future investigations should attempt to replicate these findings in different countries to see if the patterns hold true globally.

“A key point readers should not misunderstand is that having Dark Triad traits does not automatically mean a person will engage in quiet quitting,” Rahman noted. “Our study shows associations and psychological pathways, not inevitabilities. Personality traits increase the likelihood of psychological entitlement, moral disengagement, and quiet quitting intention, but work environments, and other factors such as leadership still play major roles.”

“Quiet quitting is a multifaceted behaviour, and it should not be assumed that anyone with narcissistic or psychopathic tendencies will disengage, nor that those without these traits are fully protected from doing so. The findings should be seen as identifying risk factors and not deterministic labels.”

The study, “The dark silence: Dark triad personality traits as predictors of quiet quitting intention,” was authored by Hanfia Rahman, Tripti Singh, and Mitu Mandal.