Beneficial for the Organization but Detrimental to Yourself: Cognitive Dissonance Responses to Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior and the Contingent Effects of Big-Five Personality Traits

We investigated the consequences of unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) through the lens of cognitive dissonance theory. Using data from a three-wave survey of 313 participants, our findings reveal that engaging in UPB triggers cognitive dissonance, which, in turn, heightens turnover intentions by fostering perceptions of careerism.