Does Humor Style Affect Knowledge Hiding Behavior? The Roles of Personality and Communication Climate in Organizations

Abstract

This paper aims to examine the personal, interpersonal, and organizational predictors of knowledge hiding behaviors in organizations. The results of a three-wave longitudinal study indicated that (i) the dark triad personality (Machiavellianism and psychopathy) was positively associated with knowledge hiding behaviors (evasive and playing dumb); (ii) organizational communication climate partially mediated the link between dark triad personality and knowledge hiding, but not humor styles; and (iii) humor style (aggressive) and organizational communication climate sequentially mediated the relation between dark triad personality and knowledge hiding. This study advances an understanding of the organizational communication climate and knowledge hiding through the theoretical lens of personal and interpersonal constructs.