The Double-Edged Sword of Underdog Expectations in Organizations in Shanghai, China: The Mediating Role of Feedback-Avoiding Behaviors and Proving Others Wrong and the Moderating Role of Regulatory Focus

PURPOSE: According to the traditional view, “underdog expectations” induce self-doubt in employees, resulting in negative effects. However, a new study suggests that underdog expectations may encourage employees to work harder, resulting in positive effects. Based on regulatory focus theory, this study constructed a moderated double-mediation model to explain the “double-edged sword effect” of underdog expectations. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A three-wave survey method and leader–employee pairing method were used to conduct a questionnaire survey among 346 employees drawn from five enterprises in Shanghai, China. Statistical analysis methods, including hierarchical regression analysis, simple slope analysis, and difference analysis, were used for data analysis. SPSS 24.0, Amoss 24.0, and Mplus 7.4 software were employed to test four proposed hypotheses. RESULTS: Under the positive moderating effect of prevention focus, underdog expectations reduce employee work engagement by adopting an avoidance path of employee feedback-avoiding behaviors(β = 0.090, p < 0.01). Moreover, underdog expectations play a negative role in this situation . Under the positive moderating effect of promotion focus, underdog expectations improve employee work engagement by adopting an approach of proving others wrong (β = 0.189, p < 0.001). Moreover, underdog expectations play a positive role in this situation. CONCLUSION: The study results refined the double-sided effects of underdog expectations on employee work engagement and provided theoretical and practical implications for managers on how to motivate employees with underdog expectations and how to better convey expectations to subordinates.