Scientists have uncovered a surprising psychological profile behind the workplace trend known as 'quiet quitting'. A new study suggests that colleagues who consistently do the bare minimum and shirk responsibility may be more likely to possess psychopathic or narcissistic personality traits.
The Dark Triad Connection to Workplace Withdrawal
Researchers from the Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad have identified a strong link between 'quiet quitting' and the so-called 'dark triad' of personality. This triad comprises three problematic traits: psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism.
Quiet quitting describes employees who do not resign but mentally check out, performing only their core duties without any discretionary effort. The study, involving 402 senior managers from IT, banking, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors, found that high levels of psychopathic and narcissistic traits significantly increased the likelihood of this behaviour.
Why Psychopaths Find It Easier to Disengage
Lead author Dr Hanfia Rahman explained the findings to the Daily Mail. 'Our findings show that people who score higher on everyday psychopathic tendencies are somewhat more likely to engage in quiet quitting,' she said. Dr Rahman emphasised this does not imply violence, but rather emotional detachment, impulsivity, and less concern for others.
'What we found is simply that those who already have a colder, more self-focused style of thinking may find quiet quitting an easier choice,' she added. The research, published in Acta Psychologica, indicates that a heightened sense of entitlement and a reduced capacity for guilt are key drivers.
Dr Rahman noted: 'If they believe the job isn’t giving them what they deserve, they don’t struggle much with the idea of quietly pulling back.' Furthermore, their impulsivity makes it easier to break unspoken social rules about workplace effort.
The Role of Moral Disengagement
A crucial mechanism enabling quiet quitting among these individuals is 'moral disengagement'. This is the psychological process of creating justifications or 'mental shortcuts' to avoid feelings of guilt or moral responsibility.
People with psychopathic or narcissistic traits excel at this, allowing them to rationalise reduced effort as self-protection or a common practice. Interestingly, the study found no association between quiet quitting and the third dark triad trait, Machiavellianism. These highly calculative individuals are driven by advantage and are less likely to fade into the background if visibility serves their goals.
The researchers stress that not every quiet quitter is a psychopath. Factors like poor management, burnout, or feeling undervalued remain common causes. However, for those with underlying dark triad traits, the decision to withdraw requires less internal conflict.
This study adds to previous research showing clinical psychopathy rates are three times higher among corporate boards than the general population, highlighting how certain antisocial traits can permeate professional environments.
