Perceived overqualification and proactive behavior: The role of anger and job complexity

According to the model of proactive motivation (Parker et al., 2010), previous literature on the relationship between perceived overqualification (POQ) and proactive behavior overlooked the pivotal role of the “energized to” motivational state, which primarily involves activated affects that motivate individuals' proactive behaviors. Moreover, research on the “energized to” motivational state mainly examined aggregated emotions, which masked the effects of each discrete emotion. Drawing on the model of proactive motivation and the recalibrational theory of anger, we proposed an “energized to” mechanism of the relationship between POQ and proactive behavior indicated by anger toward the organization, a typical discrete emotion, while job complexity moderates the positive effect of POQ on anger toward the organization. We examined research hypotheses using three-wave time-lag data of 473 individuals from 62 teams. Results revealed that individuals' anger toward the organization mediated the relationship between POQ and proactive behavior. Furthermore, job complexity buffered the effect of POQ on anger toward the organization as well as the indirect effect of POQ on employees' proactive behavior via anger toward the organization. Implications, limitations, and future directions of the present study are discussed.