A trait-interactionist approach to understanding the role of stressors in the personality-CWB relationship.

In the current study, we extend the trait-activation theory (TAT) in order to provide context for the role of stressors in the relationship between personality and counterproductive work behavior (CWB). Specifically, we propose relationships between conflict-sensitive personality traits (social dominance orientation and hostile attributional style) and CWB, moderated by organizational stressors (interpersonal conflict and organizational constraints) as trait-relevant situational cues that signal competition. A sample of 208 matched employee-supervisor dyads was recruited from an online panel for a multiphasic study.