Subclinical psychopathy, interpersonal workplace exchanges and moral emotions through the lens of affective events theory (AET)

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to better comprehend the subclinical psychopath's intra and interpersonal moral emotions in the context of their natural habitat, the workplace, alongside implications for employees and organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

This study draws on affective events theory (AET) to illuminate this dark-side phenomenon. Thematic analysis is used to identify themes from qualitative data collected from a small sample of interviews conducted with human resource management (HRM) directors and other managers.

Findings

The findings show that the subclinical psychopath is agentic, being unfettered by intra self-directed conscious moral emotions. The predominant moral emotion directed at employees during interpersonal workplace exchanges is typically anger. However, it appears likely the subclinical psychopath fakes this moral emotion as a smokescreen for manipulative and exploitative gains. The predominant moral emotion directed by employees towards the subclinical psychopath is fear. Employees resort to avoidance and withdrawal behaviour and intentions to quit become a reality.

Practical implications

The signalling quality of employees' moral emotions and subsequent dysfunctional avoidance and withdrawal behaviour can provide valuable information to HRM professionals in the detection of subclinical psychopaths which is acknowledged as notoriously difficult.

Originality/value

This study contributes new knowledge to subclinical psychopathy and makes novel use of AET to explore this personality type as a driver of employees' negative workplace emotions, the impact on employees' behaviour alongside implications for organisational effectiveness.

Citation

Boulter, L. and Boddy, C. (2021), "Subclinical psychopathy, interpersonal workplace exchanges and moral emotions through the lens of affective events theory (AET)", Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 44-58. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOEPP-12-2019-0120