긍정심리자본과 적응행동 간의 비선형적 관계와 팀 의사소통의 교차수준 조절역할

Abstract

Former studies have shown that psychological capital — a key variable in positive psychology and positive organizational behavior approach — exerts a consistently positive effect. However, recent research has begun to raise doubts about whether job outcomes are always desirable when positive emotions and cognitions are high. In this vein, this research — apart from the linear argument that the higher the psychological capital, the higher the adaptive behavior — empirically explores the idea that psychological capital might result in negative effects if it exceeds a certain level. Additionally, we examine team communication as a way to effectively manage these negative effects.
 Analysis of data collected from 62 firefighter team leaders and 261 firefighters finds that psychological capital has an inverted U-shaped non-linear effect on adaptive behavior. That is, from a low level to a certain level of psychological capital, psychological capital and adaptive behavior show a positive relationship.
 Conversely, when psychological capital exceeds a certain level, the relationship between psychological capital and adaptive behavior is negative. We also find that when team communication is sufficiently high, there is a cross-level moderating effect that lessens the inverted U-shaped curvilinear relationship between psychological capital and adaptive behavior. Based on these theoretical implications, we suggest managerial implications, research limitations, and future research.