To stand out or fit in? How perceived overqualification motivates proactive and affiliative performance

Abstract

Contributing to the literature on positive effects of overqualification, this research examines when and why perceived overqualification predicts affiliative and proactive performance at work. Integrating optimal distinctiveness theory with self-construal theory, we propose that depending on the nature of an employee's self-construal (i.e., independent, or interdependent), perceived overqualification will be associated with two opposing motivational processes—namely, differentiation and assimilation. We expect perceived overqualification to have a positive relationship with a motive for assimilation when an employee has a strong interdependent self-construal. Conversely, we expect perceived overqualification to have a positive relationship with a motive for differentiation when an employee has a strong independent self-construal. We further argue that assimilation-seeking and differentiation-seeking motives will be positively related to affiliative and proactive performance, respectively. We conducted two multi-waved and multisourced studies to test our hypotheses. In a pilot study (N = 249), we first tested our moderation hypothesis. In our main study (N = 496), we tested our overall moderated mediation model. Results from both studies reveal that perceived overqualification can trigger a need for differentiation or assimilation in employees depending on the nature of their self-construal. The differentiation-seeking motive was positively related to proactive performance, while the assimilation-seeking motive was positively related to affiliative performance. Our findings advance overqualification and motivation literatures and provide insights into talent acquisition and management.