Psychological Capital (PsyCap), comprising hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism, enhances individual and organizational well-being. While its benefits are well-documented, the mechanisms driving its spread—PsyCap contagion—remain underexplored, particularly across cultural contexts. This study develops a theoretical framework for PsyCap contagion, integrating Social Learning Theory (SLT) and Emotional Contagion Theory (ECT) to explain how cognitive, conative, social, and affective mechanisms facilitate its transmission. Recognizing that cultural values shape psychological processes, we propose that Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions moderate PsyCap contagion. For example, high-power distance cultures may amplify leader-driven PsyCap contagion, while collectivist cultures may strengthen peer-based transmission. Additionally, uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation may influence the sustainability of PsyCap contagion over time. This study contributes to positive organizational behavior (POB) and cross-cultural management (CCM) by positioning PsyCap contagion as a culturally embedded process. We propose a research agenda to empirically test PsyCap contagion mechanisms, examine its role in digital workplaces, and explore potential risks such as overconfidence and emotional exhaustion.
Al-ShammariHVermaS (2023) Leadership expression and emotional tone in indulgent versus restrained cultures: a cross-cultural study of organizational climate and PsyCap development. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management23(1): 91–109. DOI: 10.1177/14705958231128991.
2.
AliRGómezCChenJ (2023) Peer influence and psychological capital in culturally diverse teams: the power of social reinforcement. Group & Organization Management48(1): 53–75. DOI: 10.1177/10596011221148678.
3.
ArrowHMcGrathJEBerdahlJL (2000) Small Groups as Complex Systems: Formation, Coordination, Development, and Adaptation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
4.
AveyJBReichardRJLuthansF, et al. (2011) Meta-analysis of the impact of positive psychological capital on employee attitudes, behaviors, and performance. Human Resource Development Quarterly22(2): 127–152. DOI: 10.1002/hrdq.20070.
5.
AvolioBJGardnerWL (2005) Authentic leadership development: getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly16(3): 315–338.
6.
BakkerABDemeroutiE (2007) The job demands‐resources model: state of the art. Journal of Managerial Psychology22(3): 309–328.
7.
BanduraA (1977) Social Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
8.
BanduraA (1986) Social foundations of thought and action. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1986 (23-28), 2.
9.
BanduraA (2006) Toward a psychology of human agency. Perspectives on Psychological Science: A Journal of the Association for Psychological Science1(2): 164–180.
10.
BarsadeSGKnightAP (2015) Group affect. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior2: 21–46.
11.
BarsadeSGO’NeillOA (2021) Manage your emotional culture. Harvard Business Review94(1): 58–66.
12.
BlauPM (1964) Exchange and Power in Social Life. New York, NY: Wiley.
13.
CaligiuriPTariqueI (2012) Dynamic cross-cultural competencies and global leadership effectiveness. Journal of World Business47(4): 612–622. DOI: 10.1016/j.jwb.2012.01.014.
14.
CarmeliABen-HadorBWaldmanDA, et al. (2019) How leaders cultivate social capital and nurture employee vigor: implications for job performance. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies26(2): 140–156.
15.
ChenGLiuCTjosvoldD (2021) Cross-cultural leadership: goals, values, and teamwork in China. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management21(1): 45–63. DOI: 10.1177/14705958211001237.
16.
ChenYParkJHIbrahimR (2023) Collectivism and the flow of psychological resources in teams: a cross-cultural examination of social feedback mechanisms. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management23(2): 167–183. DOI: 10.1177/14705958231131247.
17.
CialdiniRBGoldsteinNJ (2004) Social influence: compliance and conformity. Annual Review of Psychology55: 591–621. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.psych.55.090902.142015.
18.
DeciELRyanRM (1985) Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior. New York, NY: Plenum Press.
19.
DeciELRyanRM (2000) The ‘what’ and ‘why’ of goal pursuits: human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry11(4): 227–268.
20.
de JongSBPatelPCSimonsT (2023) Developing psychological capital to enhance team effectiveness in hybrid work environments: evidence from global tech firms. Human Resource Management Journal33(1): 75–92. DOI: 10.1111/1748-8583.12456.
21.
de VriesMKNorbergAL (2023) Leadership styles and emotional transmission in masculine and feminine cultures: implications for psychological capital development. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management23(2): 184–202. DOI: 10.1177/14705958231131988.
22.
van DijkHHofhuisJ (2023) Egalitarian values and peer influence in cross-cultural teams: implications for psychological capital development. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management23(2): 134–151. DOI: 10.1177/14705958231129342.
23.
EbyLTAllenTDHoffmanBJ, et al. (2008) An interdisciplinary meta-analysis of the potential antecedents, correlates, and consequences of protégé perceptions of mentoring. Journal of Vocational Behavior72(2): 254–267. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvb.2007.04.005.
24.
ErezMGatiE (2004) A dynamic, multi‐level model of culture: from the micro level of the individual to the macrolevel of a global culture. Applied Psychology53(4): 583–598.
25.
FarooqRAndersenMK (2023) Toxic positivity? The ethical boundaries of psychological capital in high-performance cultures. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management23(2): 221–239. DOI: 10.1177/14705958231133419.
26.
FredricksonBL (2001) The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist56(3): 218–226.
27.
FredricksonBLLosadaMF (2005) Positive affect and the complex dynamics of human flourishing. American Psychologist60(7): 678–686.
28.
GelfandMJErezMAycanZ (2007) Cross-cultural organizational behavior. Annual Review of Psychology58: 479–514.
29.
GraenGBUhl-BienM (1995) Relationship-based approach to leadership: development of leader-member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years. The Leadership Quarterly6(2): 219–247.
30.
GrantAMSchwartzB (2011) Too much of a good thing: the challenge and opportunity of the inverted U. Perspectives on Psychological Science: A Journal of the Association for Psychological Science6(1): 61–76.
31.
HatfieldECacioppoJTRapsonRL (1994) Emotional Contagion. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
32.
HobfollSE (1989) Conservation of resources: a new attempt at conceptualizing stress. American Psychologist44(3): 513–524.
33.
HofstedeG (1980) Culture’s consequences: international differences in work-related values. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.
34.
HofstedeG (2010) Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. 3rd edition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
35.
HofstedeGMinkovM (2010) Long- versus short-term orientation: new perspectives. Asia Pacific Business Review16(4): 493–504. DOI: 10.1080/13602381003637609.
36.
HouseRJHangesPJJavidanM, et al. (2004) Culture, Leadership, and Organizations: The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
37.
KirkmanBLLoweKBGibsonCB (2006) A quarter century of Culture’s Consequences: a review of empirical research incorporating Hofstede’s cultural values framework. Journal of International Business Studies37(3): 285–320. DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400202.
38.
KumarRLoMCAhmedZ (2023) Emotional contagion and psychological capital: exploring the dynamics in high-stress digital work environments. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology28(2): 183–198. DOI: 10.1037/ocp0000324.
39.
KwonSFernándezM (2023) Time horizon and organizational development: exploring the influence of cultural orientation on leadership and psychological capital transmission. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management23(2): 203–220. DOI: 10.1177/14705958231132674.
40.
LeeHKimJParkS (2023) Psychological capital and employee adaptability in the era of digital transformation: a multi-industry study. International Journal of Human Resource Management34(2): 276–298. DOI: 10.1080/09585192.2022.2097765.
41.
LuthansFYoussef-MorganCM (2017) Psychological capital: an evidence-based positive approach. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior4: 339–366.
42.
LuthansFYoussefCMAvolioBJ (2007) Psychological Capital: Developing the Human Competitive Edge. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
43.
LuthansFYoussef-MorganCMAvolioBJ (2015) Psychological Capital and beyond. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
44.
MartinezLChoiSLHassanZ (2023) The ripple effect of positivity: psychological capital contagion in virtual team settings. The Journal of Positive Psychology18(4): 442–458. DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2022.2136789.
45.
McSweeneyB (2002) Hofstede’s model of national cultural differences and their consequences: a triumph of faith – a failure of analysis. Human Relations55(1): 89–118. DOI: 10.1177/0018726702551004.
46.
MehtaASørensenH (2023) Navigating uncertainty: a comparative study of organizational responses across high and low uncertainty avoidance cultures. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management23(1): 42–61. DOI: 10.1177/14705958231127356.
47.
MinkovM (2013) Cross-cultural Analysis: The Science and Art of Comparing the World’s Modern Societies and Their Cultures. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
48.
MinkovMHofstedeG (2011) The evolution of Hofstede’s doctrine. Cross Cultural Management: International Journal18(1): 10–20. DOI: 10.1108/13527601111104269.
49.
NavarroCSinghRDuboisD (2023) Modeling resilience: how employees develop PsyCap through observation and self-regulation in dynamic teams. Journal of Vocational Behavior144: 103808. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvb.2023.103808.
50.
NewmanAUcbasaranDZhuF, et al. (2014) Psychological capital: a review and synthesis. Journal of Organizational Behavior35(S1): S120–S138.
51.
NgKY (2010) Cultural intelligence: a review, reflections, and recommendations for future research. Conducting Multinational Research. Heidelberg, Germany: Springer, 29–58.
52.
NgTWHTarisTWKellowayEK (2023) Work adaptation and psychological capital in the post-pandemic workplace: new directions for organizational behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior44(1): 15–33. DOI: 10.1002/job.2690.
53.
NguyenTPHarperSRSilvaMJ (2023) Emotional climates and psychological safety: enhancing PsyCap sustainability in agile teams. Journal of Applied Psychology108(2): 274–290. DOI: 10.1037/apl0001024.
54.
RahmanMSZhangLMüllerR (2023) Revisiting cultural embeddedness in workplace behavior: a multi-country study of motivation and emotional expression. Cross Cultural & Strategic Management30(1): 112–131. DOI: 10.1108/CCSM-07-2022-0137.
55.
RamachandranKWastiSA (2023) Hierarchical dynamics and leadership perceptions across cultures: revisiting power distance in the global South. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management23(1): 5–23. DOI: 10.1177/14705958231128462.
56.
RegoASousaFMarquesC, et al. (2012) Authentic leadership promoting employees' psychological capital and creativity. Journal of Business Research65(3): 429–437.
57.
RegoAPina e CunhaMCleggS (2022) The bright side of power: cross-level effects of authoritarian leadership on meaningful work and psychological capital. Journal of Organizational Behavior43(4): 577–593. DOI: 10.1002/job.2572.
58.
ShaneS (1995) Uncertainty avoidance and the preference for innovation championing roles. Journal of International Business Studies26(1): 47–68. DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490817.
59.
StajkovicADLuthansF (2020) Social cognitive theory and self-efficacy: implications for motivation theory and practice. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes150: 118–133.
60.
StajkovicADSergentK (2021) Cognitive automation and motivation: the missing link in organizational behavior. Academy of Management Perspectives35(2): 263–279. DOI: 10.5465/amp.2019.0104.
61.
StoryJSYoussefCMLuthansF, et al. (2013) Contagion effect of global leaders’ positive psychological capital on followers: Does distance and quality of relationship matter?The International Journal of Human Resource Management24(13): 2534–2553.
62.
TajfelHTurnerJC (1986) The social identity theory of intergroup behavior. In: WorchelSAustinWG (eds). Psychology of Intergroup Relations. Chicago, IL: Nelson-Hall, 7–24.
63.
TanHYBakkerABO’ReillyCA (2023) Positive leadership and psychological capital contagion: a multilevel study of hybrid team environments. The Leadership Quarterly34(1): 101–119. DOI: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2022.101719.
64.
TarasVKirkmanBLSteelP (2012) Examining the impact of culture’s consequences: a three-decade, multilevel, meta-analytic review of Hofstede’s cultural value dimensions. Journal of Applied Psychology95(3): 405–439. DOI: 10.1037/a0027031.
65.
TarasVSteelPKirkmanBL (2021) Three decades of research on national culture in the workplace: do the differences still make a difference?Organizational Dynamics50(4): 100787. DOI: 10.1016/j.orgdyn.2020.100787.
66.
TourishDRobsonP (2006) Sensemaking and the distortion of critical upward communication in organizations. Journal of Management Studies43(4): 711–730.
67.
TriandisHC (1995) Individualism and Collectivism. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
68.
TrompenaarsFHampden-TurnerC (1998) Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Diversity in Global Business. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
69.
WangHWaldmanDAZhangH (2020) A meta-analysis of shared leadership and team effectiveness. Journal of Applied Psychology105(12): 1246–1266.
70.
WongMPatelSHassanR (2023) From intention to development: the role of goal-directed behavior in cultivating psychological capital at work. Motivation and Emotion47(1): 92–107. DOI: 10.1007/s11031-023-09927-5.
71.
WrightTA (2003) Positive organizational behavior: an idea whose time has truly come. Journal of Organizational Behavior24(4): 437–442.
72.
XanthopoulouDBakkerABIliesR (2021) Daily positive work events and positive affect: the role of daily work engagement. Journal of Organizational Behavior42(2): 145–161. DOI: 10.1002/job.2492.
73.
ZhouYMalikABeckerWJ (2023) Cultural framing of psychological capital: a comparative study across global work settings. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management23(1): 54–72. DOI: 10.1177/14705958231127390.
