How addiction fuels innovation: a mixed-methods study on the psychological trade-offs of digital labor in gig economy

Abstract

As digitalization reshapes the global labor market, digital laborers in the gig economy face distinct psychological pressures stemming from constant hyperconnectivity, algorithm-driven coordination, and inherently unstable employment relationships. Employing a mixed-methods approach that combines data from 20 semi-structured interviews and 1,041 questionnaire responses, this study develops a research model to understand the mechanisms of digital crowdworkers’ addiction and its impact on enhancing innovation implementation. The results indicate that the affordance of gamification on crowdsourcing platforms, the self-worth pursuit of crowdsourced digital laborers, and their skill enhancement exert a positive impact on crowdworkers’ addiction and innovative behaviors. The findings suggest that digital crowdworkers’ behavioral addiction may motivate their innovative behavior, demonstrating that irrational psychological mechanisms can be transformed into instrumental innovation. The study reveals the dual effects of the platform economy on addictive behaviors and offers a new framework for organizations to balance short-term innovation efficiency gains with long-term sustainable development.