Experience Matters: Turning Psychopathy into Self-Efficacy and Job Performance

Abstract

Using the tenets of social cognitive theory, this study diverges significantly from the conventional research paradigm by shedding light on the pivotal role of job experience and self-efficacy in predicting psychopath's job performance. In the scholarly discourse where positive associations between psychopathy and performance metrics have received minimal attention, this study introduces a validated model proposing a constructive influence of psychopathy on job performance. While acknowledging job experience as a moderator, this study accentuates the pivotal role of self-efficacy as a mediator, challenging the traditionally hostile psychopathy- job performance relationship. We employ an experimental research design on the MBA executive class of 68 students of GC University Faisalabad. The results reveal the causal solid effect of psychopathic personality on self-efficacy in manipulated job experience conditions and a slight impact on no job experience control conditions. Meanwhile, at low values of psychopathy, the effect is diminished in both job experience conditions. Notably, job experience emerges as an indispensable agent, significantly shaping the impact of psychopathy on self-efficacy and subsequent employee performance.