The Contagion Effect of PsyCap: A Review and Future Directions

Abstract

The idea of psychological capital spreading and becoming contagious has garnered a great deal of curiosity from scholars and practitioners alike. Yet, the exact nature of PsyCap contagion, and when and how it operates upward, downward, and laterally are far from clear. This paper presents a systematic review of the extant literature on PsyCap’s contagion effects with the twin-goal of clarifying the state of knowledge in the field and outlining an agenda for future research. Drawing broadly from the intersection of positive organizational behavior and contagion literatures, we propose a definition of PsyCap contagion and call for scholars to identify the underlying mechanisms through which PsyCap spreads and explore possible factors that may promote or hinder its contagion effects at multiple levels of analysis. We conclude by offering a roadmap for researchers to further the advancement of the field.