The effects of peer overqualification on dualistic work passion through the sequential mediation of perceived competitive climate and job anxiety.

The phenomenon of overqualification is widespread and profoundly impacts employees' work attitudes. While existing studies have explored overqualification, limited research has focused on the effects of peer overqualification on employees' dualistic work passion through affective and cognitive mechanisms. Grounded in the theoretical framework of conservation of resource theory as well as cognitive-affective processing system theory, this study examines the relationship between peer overqualification and the production of employees' dualistic work passion. It analyzes the mediating role of a perceived competitive climate and job anxiety. Utilizing a sample of 532 employees from China, this study finds that peer overqualification stimulates employees' obsessive work passion and negatively impacts their harmonious work passion. Perceived competitive climate and job anxiety play a chain mediation role in the positive relationship between peer overqualification and obsessive work passion and the negative relationship between peer overqualification and harmonious work passion. This study broadens the theoretical perspectives on peer overqualification, enriches research on the determinants of dualistic work passion, and offers managerial implications for enhancing employees' work passion.