A multilevel model of the consequences of status inconsistency in work groups

Individuals who are overqualified experience status detraction, in that they have qualifications that exceed the requirements of their job. We take a multi-level perspective to argue that although an overqualified group member experiences negative job attitudes, status detraction can yield positive attitudinal consequences for other adequately qualified members of the group to which the overqualified member belongs. This suggests that research on status detraction and overqualification should take into account the wider context in which individuals are embedded.