The cost of a shield: reactive and proactive digital hoarding in the workplace
Current Psychology, cilt.45, sa.20, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 45 Sayı: 20
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s12144-026-10145-1
- Dergi Adı: Current Psychology
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, BIOSIS, Psycinfo, Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Business Source Ultimate (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest), Sociology Source Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Conservation of resources, Digital hoarding, Psychological ownership, Reflexive thematic analysis, Workplace digitalization
- Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study examines the complex role of digital hoarding as a phenomenon embedded in workplace practices driven by defensive and strategic motivations. Based on qualitative data collected from semi-structured interviews, this study employs reflexive thematic analysis to uncover how and why employees accumulate digital materials. The results indicate two kinds of digital hoarding. The first one is reactive digital hoarding, where employees feel the pressure of uncertainties and accountability, and the second one is proactive digital hoarding, where persistent digital retention becomes indiscriminate while being legitimized through value-oriented rationales. The analysis also suggests how these practices may become normalized within organizational contexts. Further, digital hoarding generates unintended organizational, cognitive, and ethical costs. The study advances ongoing discussions over the effects of digitalization in modern organizations by reconceptualizing digital hoarding as a day-to-day workplace practice. Finally, the study contributes theoretically to the understanding of digital hoarding behavior by introducing a distinction between reactive and proactive digital hoarding and suggesting how these behaviors may become normalized within organizational settings.