Abstract
Information is a vital concept today. However, the beginning of the information age can be traced back to the periods when clay tablets were used. Information has impact on individual and corporate success. However, information overload occurs when information, whose positive characteristics are highlighted, reaches an excessive amount. Besides, information overload may cause negative consequences. Technostress and information overload, which have negative effects, need to be managed. Information management is useful to reduce the effects of information overload. It will also be possible to deal with information overload through information literacy, which can be taught to individuals. Useful information can only be obtained when these factors are taken into account.
TopIndividuals are facing different types of stress today. The interaction they constitute through technology, the intense experience, sharing and information they have with their environment can sometimes create a sense of overload. This intense interaction and speed can force individuals to respond instantly (Ragu-Nathan et al., 2008; Zhang et al., 2016). Along with the internet and other technologies, they have to deal with a huge amount of information in their lives. This information continues to expand explosively. The process is moving at an unprecedented pace (Shu, Tu, & Wang, 2011). In this process, individuals have the fear that they cannot cope with the overload they are exposed to. A sense of anxiety and loss of control may evolve (Erasmus, 2003). The information that comes to the individuals must be constantly handled or responded. Besides as the intense flow of information carry on, it can cause distracting and disturbing effects (Tarafdar et al., 2011, p. 14). In addition, the individual can suffocate with information. When the amount of information for the individual increases and the processing capacity cannot cope with this, a panic condition occurs and stress arises. Since technology has a role in almost all of the processes related to information, it has an impact on the process as well.
Technostress becomes even more important with the transition to the era of connection where information is everywhere. From this perspective, individuals experiencing excessive information syndrome face a cognitive overload in their daily lives. This is called information overload (Chiappetta, 2017). In his study titled “Information may lead to technostress”, Friedlein (1997 cited in Clute, 1998, p. 44; Himma, 2007) argues that an excess of information can develop technostress. According to the results of a study, 21% of the participants (12) state that the reason for their technostress experience is information overload (Clute, 1998). The conditions that create technostress are (Tarafdar et al., 2011): techno-invasion, techno-overload, techno-uncertainty, techno-insecurity, techno-complexity. One of the conditions, techno-overload, is also thought to be relate with information overload (Shu, Tu, & Wang, 2011). So the relationship between technostress and information overload is acknowledged. In the rest of the study, it will be useful to continue with the general concepts and ways of dealing with information overload.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Social media: They are new communication platforms that emerge with Web 2.0 and make individuals active users.
Information Overload: The information exposed is too large to be processed.
Information: It’s the compiled piece of data.
Information Literacy: They are the competencies that must be possessed to handle the information correctly.
Information Technologies: It is the infrastructure and components that make modern computing possible.
Information Age: These are periods when information increases its importance in human life.
Information Processing: It is the process of analyzing and processing the data and information that access the system itself.
Technostress: It's the costs of the tech revolution for people.
Information Management: It is an effort to make information more useful through various strategies.