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Narcissism as a moderator of the relationship between job characteristics and job reactions

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Abstract

A growing body of research has begun to examine the relationship between narcissism and human behavior in organizations. The research to date, however, has been anecdotal and impressionistic. The present research represents the first attempt to use a questionnaire methodology to examine systematically narcissism as an individual difference variable within an organizational context. Using an interactionist perspective, it is posited that narcissism will moderate the relationship between perceived role and job characteristics and work satisfaction. Data are analyzed from a convenience sample of 272 persons who worked full time and who attended college, using subgroup analysis and moderated multiple regression. Only modest evidence of the predicted moderator effects was found. Explanations for the weak results are offered and three possible modifications for future research are recommended.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marymount Manhattan College, 221 E. 71st Street, 10021, New York, NY

    Lynn S. Mullins (Head Librarian)

  2. Baruch College, The City University of New York, USA

    Richard E. Kopelman

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  1. Lynn S. Mullins
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  2. Richard E. Kopelman
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Mullins, L.S., Kopelman, R.E. Narcissism as a moderator of the relationship between job characteristics and job reactions. J Bus Psychol 1, 264–275 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01020815

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