The Impact of Perceived Overqualification on Deviant Innovation Among New Generation Employees: A Role Identity Perspective

Existing research primarily focuses on emotional and cognitive pathways to explore the impact of perceived overqualification on deviant innovation, failing to fully reveal the relationship between these factors. Based on role identity theory, this study constructs a model with innovation role identity as a mediating variable and investigates the mechanism of perceived overqualification's impact on deviant innovation, using a sample of 223 employees. The study found that: (1) perceived overqualification positively predicts deviant innovation; (2) innovation role identity positively influences deviant innovation; (3) perceived overqualification positively affects deviant innovation by enhancing innovation role identity.