Digital Anxiety at Work: Doomscrolling as an Emerging Phenomenon in Organizational Behavior
Chapter from the book:
Seyhan,
M.
(ed.)
2025.
Organizational Behavior: Current Research on Digital Anxiety, Personality Conflicts, and Burnout.
Synopsis
With the acceleration of digitalization, the ways in which employees access information have undergone a radical transformation. Social media and online news platforms, in particular, affect not only employees' work processes but also their psychological well-being. In this context, one concept that has attracted attention in the literature in recent years is doomscrolling. Doomscrolling is defined as the continuous and uncontrolled consumption of negative and threatening digital content by individuals. This behavior is associated with increasing digital anxiety, stress, and burnout. The aim of this book chapter is to examine the concept of doomscrolling within a systematic, conceptual, and theoretical framework in the context of organizational behavior. The chapter first addresses the definition and development of the doomscrolling concept, followed by a systematic review of studies focusing on the concept. This systematic review focuses on the effects of doomscrolling on employee psychology, job performance, organizational attitudes, and digital anxiety. The conclusion section presents implications for employees and organizations.
