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.

中文翻译：

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脱颖而出还是融入其中？感知到的资历过高如何激发积极主动和亲和力的表现

本研究为有关资历过高的积极影响的文献做出了贡献，探讨了何时以及为何感知到的资历过高会预测工作中的亲和力和主动性表现。将最佳独特性理论与自我构念理论相结合，我们提出，根据员工自我构念的性质（即独立或相互依赖），感知到的资历过高将与两种相反的动机过程相关——即差异化和同化。我们预计，当员工具有强烈的相互依赖的自我构念时，感知到的资历过高与同化动机之间存在积极的关系。相反，当员工具有强烈的独立自我认知时，我们预计感知到的资历过高与差异化动机存在正相关关系。我们进一步认为，寻求同化和寻求差异化动机将分别与亲和性和主动性表现正相关。我们进行了两项多波次、多来源的研究来检验我们的假设。在一项试点研究（N  = 249）中，我们首先测试了我们的调节假设。在我们的主要研究（N  = 496）中，我们测试了我们的整体调节中介模型。两项研究的结果都表明，感知到的资历过高可能会引发员工对差异化或同化的需求，具体取决于他们的自我认知的性质。寻求差异化动机与主动绩效正相关，寻求同化动机与亲和绩效正相关。我们的研究结果推进了资历过高和激励文献的发展，并为人才获取和管理提供了见解。