This document summarizes research on Machiavellianism and how those high in Machiavellian traits behave in organizational settings. It discusses how Machiavellians are motivated by self-interest and impression management rather than pro-social values. While they may engage in some organizational citizenship behaviors to benefit themselves, their lack of empathy and willingness to manipulate others makes long-term relationships difficult. Overall, those high in Machiavellian traits tend to fare poorly in organizations that value cooperation and the well-being of all members.

1. Psychology of Communications
Machiavellianism
Machiavellian’s Motives
in
Organizational Citizenship Behavior
by
Jennifer Becker
Dan O’Hair
August, 2007
Journal of Applied Communication Research Vol.35

2. Who is Niccolo Machiavelli?
 Born May 3, 1469
 Died June 21, 1527
 High level Italian
diplomat
 Most famous as
author of The Prince

3. The Prince
 Written in 1513
 Published in 1532
 Describes the method by which a
prince (a ruler) can maintain
control of his realm.
 Most famous principles
 ‘the end justifies the means’
 ‘unethical behavior is acceptable, maybe even
necessary, if it helps maintain or protect
political power’
 Some argue that this is not exactly
what Machiavelli meant.

4. The Dark Triad
 Narcissists are driven by one motive: dreams of glory.
Narcissists flourish when they are facing a difficult challenge,
they shine when performance under stress counts the most.
However they have little capacity for empathy and the more
impaired a person’s ability to consider others, the less healthy
their narcissism.
 For the Machiavellian the ends justify the means, no matter
what human pain he may cause. They tend to be cynically
calculating and arrogant, readily behaving in ways that
undermine trust and cooperation.
 The hallmarks of the Psychopath’s behavior are deceit and
reckless disregard for others. The Psychopath also lacks
empathy and are completely indifferent to the emotional pain
others may suffer because of his actions.

5. Machiavellian’s Construct Development
 First Introduced
 1970 by Christie and Geis
 Construct came from research centering on persons
of power in organizations and authoritarian
personality
 MACH IV was originally created to measure the
political personality of leaders in organizations.

6. Who is a Machiavelli?
 Willingness and ability to manipulate others for
their own purposes (Christie & Geis, 1970)
 Act without regard to ethical norms
 Skillfully exercise strategies to exploit situations and
people for their personal benefit (Fehr, Samsom &
Paulhus, 1992; Grams & Rogers, 1990; O’Hair & Cody, 1987)
 Low ideological commitment- focus on task
completion rather than long-range ideological
goals

7. What motivates a Machiavelli?
 Machs are motivated by self-interest as opposed to
relational or other interests. They tend to take a
cool, detached approach to their interpersonal
interactions.
 Motivated by extrinsic goals (McHoskey, 1999)
 Machs thrive in unstructured environments: they
are able to exploit situations innovatively to their
advantage

8. Machs’ Organization Citizenship Behavior
 Motivated by impression management
 Unlikely to be motivated by pro-social values
 Unlikely to be motivated by organizational concerns
 Selective in engaging OCB: target specific individuals
or groups

9. OCB Behavior
 ‘Going above and beyond’ (Katz & Kahn, 1978)
 Cooperative, helpful, goodwill, altruism (Smith, Organ &
Near, 1983)
 Adapts readily, innovate, transforms working
environment for the betterment everyone and the
organization (Williams & Anderson, 1991)
 Members who feel bound to the organization and
perceive that they personally benefit from the
organization are more likely to reciprocate their
goodwill in the form of OCB (Organ, 1988)

10. Characteristics of High Machs
 Resistant to social influence  Sensitive to information about
 Hides personal convictions well others
 Changes position in argument  Exploitive, but not viciously so
readily  Exploits more if others can’t
 Resistant to confessing retaliate
 Highly convincing when telling  Not acceptable to appeals for
the truth compliance, cooperation, or
attitude change
 Suspicious of others motives
 Never obviously manipulative
 Situationally analytical
 Does not assume reciprocity
 Prefers fluid environment
 Preferred by peers as leader
 Able to change strategy with
situation  Preferred by peers as work
partner
 Says things others want to hear

11. Characteristics of Low Machs
 Vulnerable to others’ opinion  Believes others “ought to” act in
 Wears conviction on sleeve certain ways
 Clings to convictions  Becomes locked into single
 Confesses fairly readily course of action
 Less convincing when telling
 Tells it like it is
the truth  Sensitive to others’ effort
 Accepts others’ motives as face  May appear unreasonable in
value negotiations
 Makes gross assumptions about  Reluctant to exploit
content  Reacts in socially desirable
 Assumes reciprocity ways
 Often obviously determined
 Seek stable environment

12. Machiavellians
 Christie and Geis
 Main difference was that High Machs, compared to Low
Machs, relate to others in a manner that characteristically
devoid of emotions.

13. The End of Machs
 Machs behave in ways that potentially damage their
relationships, and while they may succeed in short-
term interactions, they seem to fare poorly in long-
term relationships.
 Extreme Machs remain in one organization (or one
position within the organization) only as long as they
are able to exploit and manipulate others.

14. The End of Machs
 If organizations raise the bar for OCB behavior,
encouraging OCB that is oriented toward the good of
not just oneself, but of others as well– Machs may not
survive.

15. The Mach IV Scale
or
Video (1.35 min)