Digitally Connected, Evolutionarily Wired: An Evolutionary Mismatch Perspective on Digital Work

IF 3.9 1区心理学 Q2 MANAGEMENT

Organizational Psychology Review Pub Date : 2024-03-20 DOI:10.1177/20413866241232138

Mark van Vugt, Stephen M. Colarelli, Norman P. Li

引用次数: 0

Abstract

This paper makes the case for an evolutionary mismatch between digital work and the way human ancestors engaged in work. Psychological adaptations for producing things that early humans needed to survive and thrive, such as cognitive mechanisms for obtaining and processing food, toolmaking, and learning valuable working skills, evolved in the context of small networks of hunter–gatherers. These adaptations are central to understanding the significance of work in human evolution. Evolutionary mismatches operate when novel environments cue ancestral adaptations in ways that no longer provide adaptive benefits. We argue that digital work, although efficient and productive, is misaligned with some fundamental human needs, preferences, and routines, thereby illuminating a potential dark side. Yet digitalization also offers opportunities for matching the modern work environment to our evolved work psychology. We conclude with an agenda for advancing research in industrial and organizational psychology on digital work from an evolutionary mismatch perspective.

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数字连接，进化有线：数字工作的进化错配视角

本文论证了数字工作与人类祖先从事工作的方式在进化上的不匹配。生产早期人类生存和发展所需的物品的心理适应，如获取和加工食物、制造工具和学习有价值的工作技能的认知机制，是在狩猎采集者的小型网络背景下进化而来的。这些适应性对于理解工作在人类进化中的意义至关重要。当新环境以不再提供适应性益处的方式提示祖先的适应性时，进化错配就会发生。我们认为，数字化工作虽然高效且富有成效，但却与人类的一些基本需求、偏好和常规不匹配，从而揭示了潜在的阴暗面。然而，数字化也为现代工作环境与我们不断发展的工作心理相匹配提供了机遇。最后，我们将从进化错配的角度出发，提出推进工业与组织心理学关于数字化工作研究的议程。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Organizational Psychology Review Multiple-

CiteScore

10.00

自引率

1.60%

发文量

期刊介绍： Organizational Psychology Review is a quarterly, peer-reviewed scholarly journal published by SAGE in partnership with the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology. Organizational Psychology Review’s unique aim is to publish original conceptual work and meta-analyses in the field of organizational psychology (broadly defined to include applied psychology, industrial psychology, occupational psychology, organizational behavior, personnel psychology, and work psychology).Articles accepted for publication in Organizational Psychology Review will have the potential to have a major impact on research and practice in organizational psychology. They will offer analyses worth citing, worth following up on in primary research, and worth considering as a basis for applied managerial practice. As such, these should be contributions that move beyond straight forward reviews of the existing literature by developing new theory and insights. At the same time, however, they should be well-grounded in the state of the art and the empirical knowledge base, providing a good mix of a firm empirical and theoretical basis and exciting new ideas.