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Technostress mitigation: an experimental study of social support during a computer freeze

Author

Listed:
  • Christoph Weinert

    (University of Bamberg)

  • Christian Maier

    (University of Bamberg)

  • Sven Laumer

    (Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • Tim Weitzel

    (University of Bamberg)

Abstract

In situations when Information Systems (IS) do not work as intended, using IS might hinder their users and let them perceive technostress; this then comes along with reduced user performance and high perceptions of exhaustion, among others. To alleviate these consequences, a mitigating behavior of stressed users is to seek social support to get instrumental (e.g., from the help desk) or emotional (e.g., consolation) backing. Using insights from psychology literature that suggest social support reduces the consequences of stressors, this paper investigates how instrumental and emotional support reduces the consequences of techno-stressors, such as reduced end-user performance, techno-exhaustion, and physiological arousal, caused by techno-unreliability such as a computer freeze. In a laboratory setting, measurements of skin conductance were used to evaluate the technostress of 73 subjects, manipulated by techno-unreliability and then treated with instrumental and emotional support. The findings indicate that social support increased end-user performance as well as reduced techno-exhaustion and physiological arousal. In particular, instrumental support directly influenced end-user performance, techno-exhaustion, and physiological arousal, whereas emotional support only influenced techno-exhaustion. Further, this study provides the first indications that the effect of social support on technostress depends on individual differences.

Suggested Citation

  • Christoph Weinert & Christian Maier & Sven Laumer & Tim Weitzel, 2020. "Technostress mitigation: an experimental study of social support during a computer freeze," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 90(8), pages 1199-1249, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jbecon:v:90:y:2020:i:8:d:10.1007_s11573-020-00986-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11573-020-00986-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Michelle Berger & Ricarda Schäfer & Marco Schmidt & Christian Regal & Henner Gimpel, 2024. "How to prevent technostress at the digital workplace: a Delphi study," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 94(7), pages 1051-1113, October.
    2. Khedhaouria, Anis & Montani, Francesco & Jamal, Arshad & Hussain Shah, Mahmood, 2024. "Consequences of technostress for users in remote (home) work contexts during a time of crisis: The buffering role of emotional social support," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    3. Julia Lanzl, 2023. "Social Support as Technostress Inhibitor," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 65(3), pages 329-343, June.
    4. Nicola Döring & Katrien De Moor & Markus Fiedler & Katrin Schoenenberg & Alexander Raake, 2022. "Videoconference Fatigue: A Conceptual Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-20, February.
    5. Aldo Alvarez-Risco & Shyla Del-Aguila-Arcentales & Jaime A. Yáñez & Marc A. Rosen & Christian R. Mejia, 2021. "Influence of Technostress on Academic Performance of University Medicine Students in Peru during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-13, August.
    6. Christian Maier & Sven Laumer & Jason Bennett Thatcher & Jakob Wirth & Tim Weitzel, 2022. "Trial-Period Technostress: A Conceptual Definition and Mixed-Methods Investigation," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 33(2), pages 489-514, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Instrumental and emotional support; Techno-unreliability; End-user performance; Exhaustion; Arousal; Skin conductance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M15 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - IT Management
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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