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Investigating the relationship between conscientiousness, neuroticism and the quiet quitting phenomenon in South Africa: conceptualising quiet quitting as psychological turnover behaviour
Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867614060816629760 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Keyter, Jens |
| author2 | Pienaar, J. S. |
| author_browse | Keyter, Jens Pienaar, J. S. |
| author_facet | Pienaar, J. S. Keyter, Jens |
| author_sort | Keyter, Jens |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136186 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:01.452Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136186 Investigating the relationship between conscientiousness, neuroticism and the quiet quitting phenomenon in South Africa: conceptualising quiet quitting as psychological turnover behaviour Keyter, Jens Pienaar, J. S. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology. Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Keyter, J. 2026. Investigating the relationship between conscientiousness, neuroticism and the quiet quitting phenomenon in South Africa: conceptualising quiet quitting as psychological turnover behaviour. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/ca4e15a2-5206-48e7-b704-52f5a40f3835 In this study, the phenomenon of quiet quitting within the South African workforce is explored, focusing on how motivation, job satisfaction and specific personality traits influence this behaviour. Quiet quitting – which is defined as the practice of performing only the minimum required duties – was conceptualised as a form of psychological disengagement, with the aim of understanding the factors that may drive employees to reduce their effort at work. Grounded in Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, General Systems Theory (GST), the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model, and Social Exchange Theory (SET), the study investigated how job satisfaction, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, conscientiousness, and neuroticism interact to shape quiet-quitting behaviour. These frameworks collectively provided a foundation for understanding both individual and systemic influences on disengagement and turnover within the South African context. A quantitative research design was adopted, and data were collected from South African employees across various industries. The final usable sample consisted of 244 employed South African adults aged 18 years and older, who were recruited through a non-probability convenience sampling approach via LinkedIn. The sample represented employees across small, medium, and large organisations, with the majority of respondents falling within the 20 to 39-year age group and reflecting varying levels of organisational tenure. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the relationships between the study variables. Motivation was measured by using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), and job satisfaction by using the Brief Index of Affective Job Satisfaction (BIAJS). Personality traits were assessed by using the High Potential Trait Indicator (HPTI), while quiet-quitting behaviour was measured by using the newly developed quiet quitting scale (QQS). The results reveal that the structural model accounted for 68% of the variance in quiet-quitting behaviour. Job satisfaction demonstrated a moderately strong negative association with quiet quitting, which confirms that employees with lower satisfaction are more likely to disengage psychologically from their work. Conscientiousness showed a positive relationship with job satisfaction and a negative relationship with quiet quitting, which highlights it as a protective factor. Neuroticism displayed a small yet significant positive relationship with quiet quitting and a negative association with job satisfaction. Intrinsic Motivation emerged as a significant and strong predictor of job satisfaction, while extrinsic motivation did not significantly predict satisfaction. Overall, the findings suggest that intrinsic motivational factors and personality traits play important roles in understanding psychological disengagement in the workplace. The study therefore contributes to turnover and motivation literature by introducing quiet quitting as a new form of turnover behaviour. It further offers practical insights for South African organisations that aim to enhance engagement and retention through personality-aware and intrinsically focused strategies. Masters 2026-04-24T11:42:07Z 2026-04-24T11:42:07Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136186 en Stellenbosch University 153 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Keyter, Jens Investigating the relationship between conscientiousness, neuroticism and the quiet quitting phenomenon in South Africa: conceptualising quiet quitting as psychological turnover behaviour |
| title | Investigating the relationship between conscientiousness, neuroticism and the quiet quitting phenomenon in South Africa: conceptualising quiet quitting as psychological turnover behaviour |
| title_full | Investigating the relationship between conscientiousness, neuroticism and the quiet quitting phenomenon in South Africa: conceptualising quiet quitting as psychological turnover behaviour |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the relationship between conscientiousness, neuroticism and the quiet quitting phenomenon in South Africa: conceptualising quiet quitting as psychological turnover behaviour |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the relationship between conscientiousness, neuroticism and the quiet quitting phenomenon in South Africa: conceptualising quiet quitting as psychological turnover behaviour |
| title_short | Investigating the relationship between conscientiousness, neuroticism and the quiet quitting phenomenon in South Africa: conceptualising quiet quitting as psychological turnover behaviour |
| title_sort | investigating the relationship between conscientiousness neuroticism and the quiet quitting phenomenon in south africa conceptualising quiet quitting as psychological turnover behaviour |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136186 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT keyterjens investigatingtherelationshipbetweenconscientiousnessneuroticismandthequietquittingphenomenoninsouthafricaconceptualisingquietquittingaspsychologicalturnoverbehaviour |