How information and communication overload impairs creative performance in the digital technology age: the chain mediating roles of emotion and state self-control

Abstract

Introduction Despite the growing integration of digital technologies into work place innovation, information and communication overload in the age of pervasive digital devices remains under-researched regarding its impact on employee creativity. The present research examines the psychological mechanisms linking information and communication overload to creative performance. Methods We conducted two multi-method studies to capture both stable interpersonal differences and dynamic intrapersonal fluctuations: Study 1 employed across-sectional design (n = 612), and Study 2 utilized a daily diary design (n = 66 across 10 consecutive workdays). Results The results revealed that information and communication overload Significantly impairs creativity through both emotional and self-regulatory pathways. Furthermore, the findings revealed a dual-pathway chain mediation: information and communication overload exhausts an individual’s state self-control by reducing positive affect and increasing negative affect, both of which subsequently stifle creative output. Notably, where as the independent mediating role of negative affect was significant in Study 1, it was not supported in Study 2; however, the chain mediation pathway through negative affect and state self-control remained significant across both studies. Discussion These findings deepen our understanding of how information and communication overload harms creative performance by highlighting self-regulation as a key mechanism. Practically, the results suggest that organizations must prioritize emotional replenishment and cognitive energy preservation to sustain creative capital in an increasingly saturated digital environment.