Consumer Participation in Self-Service Technologies: Shadow Work and Decision-Making Processes

With the rapid advancement of digital technology, the self-service model has emerged, introducing a new labor model known as digital shadow work (DSW). In this model, consumers perform tasks traditionally performed by employees, such as item scanning and self-checkout, without compensation. While this optimizes service processes and reduces business costs, it raises concerns about consumer rights, labor value, and business sustainability. This study explores the psychological factors affecting consumers’ participation in DSW within self-service environments. Using a grounded theory approach and semi-structured interviews, the study reveals key psychological drivers under the dual-system framework. The study’s findings indicate that habitual behavior, impulsivity, time pressure, technological dependence, contact avoidance, social identification, delayed gratification, and peer influence affect DSW. Notably, the intuitive system (System 1) plays a dominant role in decision-making, leading consumers to make quick, automatic choices, often leaving them unaware of the labor involved. By identifying these psychological factors, this draft increases consumer awareness of DSW, promoting self-protection in self-service contexts. Also, understanding decision-making psychology provides essential insights for companies in self-service technologies, supporting sustainable business practices.