The influence of users' Dark Triad on knowledge contribution behaviour on social Q&A sites

Abstract

The users' knowledge contribution behavior is the driving force for the sustainable development of the social Q&A sites. This kind of user behavior is affected by various factors, among which users' personality traits are the prominent ones. The dark triad is a theory on the dark side of personality. This article explores the influence and mechanism of users' dark triad on their knowledge contribution in social Q&A sites. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 301 users with experience in social Q&A sites. The survey data were then analyzed by hierarchical regression and Bootstrap analysis. The dark triad significantly affects knowledge contribution on social Q & A sites. Online self-disclosure plays a completely mediating role in the relationship between the dark triad and knowledge contribution. The relational psychological contract has a moderating role between online self-disclosure and knowledge contribution. This study argues that the dark triad has a positive effect on knowledge contribution behavior in socialized Q&A communities by constructing a model of mediated effects that are moderated. The dark triad shows its altruistic side in the context of social Q&A sites. The role of the dark triad in different knowledge-intensive contexts should be viewed dialectically in future research. Based on these findings, we put forward some suggestions for encouraging users' knowledge contribution behavior in the social media context.