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The In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies : Unco e ing Momen a y Emo ional Load,
Rou es, and Sequences
©2020. The Au ho s. Published by he Managemen In o ma ion Sys ems Resea ch Cen e a he Uni e si y o Minneso a
Published e sion
Salo, Ma kus; Makkonen, Ma kus; Hekkala, Rii a
Salo, M., Makkonen, M., & Hekkala, R. (2020). The In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies :
Unco e ing Momen a y Emo ional Load, Rou es, and Sequences. MIS Qua e ly, 44(3), 1143-
1175. h ps://doi.o g/10.25300/MISQ/2020/15610
2020
RESEARCH ARTICLE
THE INTERPLAY OF IT USERS’ COPING STRATEGIES:
UNCOVERING MOMENTARY EMOTIONAL
LOAD, ROUTES, AND SEQUENCES1
Ma kus Salo
Facul y o In o ma ion Technology, Uni e si y o Jy askyla, P.O. Box 35,
FI-40014 Jy äskylä, FINLAND {ma kus. .salo@jyu. i}
Ma kus Makkonen
Facul y o In o ma ion Technology, Uni e si y o Jy askyla, P.O. Box 35,
FI-40014 Jy äskylä, FINLAND {ma kus. .makk[email p o ec ed]}
Rii a Hekkala
School o Business, Aal o Uni e si y, P.O. Box 21210,
FI-00076 Aal o, FINLAND { ii a.hekkala@aal o. i}
Despi e he posi i e aspec s o in o ma ion echnology (IT) use, i is common o use s o expe ience nega i e
IT inciden s. Examples o nega i e IT inciden s include ge ing los in an un amilia coun y due o a dys unc-
ional map applica ion and missing a mone a y insu ance bene i due o he ailu e o an ac i i y acke
applica ion. Such inciden s can ha m IT p o ide s by gi ing ise o use dissa is ac ion, discon inued use,
swi ching, and nega i e wo d-o -mou h. To minimize his ha m, i is impo an o unde s and how use s cope
a e nega i e inciden s. Speci ically, in o ma ion sys ems (IS) esea che s ha e called o esea ch ha
unco e s he complex in e play o IT use s’ coping s a egies (e.g., use s’ coping e o s a e employing one
s a egy and combina ions o se e al consecu i e s a egies). To add ess hese calls, we conduc ed a mixed
me hods s udy ha examined mobile applica ion use s’ coping s a egies a e highly nega i e inciden s. We
de eloped a model ha explains how use s na iga e be ween p oblem- ocused s a egies, emo ion- ocused
s a egies, and app aisals. As heo e ical con ibu ions, we iden i y coping sequences and dis inc ou es om
he coping s a egies, unco e he ole o momen a y emo ional load, and p esen IT-speci ic insigh s. As
p ac ical implica ions, we iden i y a o able and un a o able coping s a egies and sequences om bo h he
IT p o ide s’ and he use s’ pe spec i es.
1
Keywo ds: Coping, ou e, sequence, p oblem- ocused, emo ion- ocused, app aisal, IT inciden , IT use
1Jason Tha che was he accep ing senio edi o o his pape . Co ey Angs se ed as he associa e edi o .
©2020. The Au ho s. Published by he Managemen In o ma ion Sys ems Resea ch Cen e a he Uni e si y o Minneso a. This is an open access a icle unde
he e ms o he C ea i e Commons A ibu ion CC BY License, which pe mi s use, dis ibu ion, and ep oduc ion in any medium, p o ided he o iginal wo k
is p ope ly ci ed.
DOI: 10.25300/MISQ/2020/15610 MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3 pp. 1143-1175/Sep embe 2020 1143
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
In oduc ion
In addi ion o i s many bene i s, in o ma ion echnology (IT)
use can igge nega i e inciden s o i s use s. As IT has be-
come an in eg al pa o use s’ li es and e e yday ou ines,
hese nega i e inciden s ha e become ex emely common.
Fo ins ance, o e 80% o mobile applica ion use s ha e
abandoned applica ions because o poo pe o mance (App-
dynamics 2017), and 27% ha e a leas one p oblem e e y
week (Dimensional Resea ch 2015). Examples o nega i e
inciden s include ge ing los in an un amilia a ea o mo e
han an hou because o a dys unc ional map applica ion and
missing an insu ance bene i wo h $200 due o ailu e o an
ac i i y acke applica ion ( u he examples a e a ailable in
Appendix A). Such inciden s can gi e ise o us a ion and
ange so in ense ha use s h ow hei sma phones ac oss he
oom in exaspe a ion.
Use s’ nega i e inciden s wi h IT can cause subs an ial ha m
o IT p o ide s: hey can esul in use dissa is ac ion,
dec eased o discon inued use, inc eased swi ching o com-
pe i o s, and nega i e epu a ion (Salo and F ank 2017;
Se enko and S ach 2009; Vedadi and Wa ken in 2016).
These all con ibu e o use chu n, e enue losses, and, e en-
ually, IT p o ide s’ inabili y o suppo hei business and
employees. The p oblem is u he exace ba ed by he ac
ha many IT p o ide s ope a e in highly compe i i e and
o e c owded ma ke s (e.g., he mobile applica ion ma ke ),
whe e nega i e inciden s a e almos ine i able, al e na i es
a e easy o ind, and use s a e known o hei quick use deci-
sions (Appdynamics 2017; Xu e al. 2014). To e ain use s
and emain compe i i e, IT p o ide s mus unde s and how
use s cope wi h nega i e inciden s so hey can add ess use s’
esponses and minimize ha m o hei business, o e ings, and
epu a ion.
In o ma ion sys ems (IS) esea che s ha e emphasized he
impo ance o unde s anding how use s cope wi h IT
(Beaud y and Pinsonneaul 2005; S ein e al. 2015; Ta a da
e al. 2019). The concep o coping e e s o an indi idual’s
changing cogni i e and beha io al a emp s o manage de-
manding si ua ions, while coping s a egies e e o speci ic
ways o ac ualizing such a emp s in p ac ice (e.g., an a emp
o ix an IT ailu e) (Laza us and Folkman 1984). Recen IS
s udies ha e ad anced knowledge abou how use s cope wi h
nega i e IT inciden s and e en s (e.g., Beaud y and Pinson-
neaul 2005; Bha ache jee e al. 2018; Liang and Xue 2009;
S ein e al. 2015). These s udies ha e been aluable in iden-
i ying use s’ app aisals (i.e., an indi idual’s e alua ions
abou an inciden ) as well as he p oblem- ocused and
emo ion- ocused coping s a egies ela ed o hem: P ima y
app aisal (i.e., he pe sonal ele ance o an IT inciden ) and
seconda y app aisal (i.e., an indi idual’s con idence o con ol
o e an IT inciden ) in luence whe he use s ocus on hand-
ling he p oblem o managing hei nega i e emo ions. P io
IT coping s udies ha e adi ionally iewed he selec ion and
use o a speci ic coping s a egy as he end poin o he coping
p ocess, al hough, in eali y, coping is a complex and dynamic
p ocess ha can include se e al i e a ions be ween he s a-
egies and he app aisals (Calmei o e al. 2014; Folkman
2011; Laza us 1993). Thus, hese s udies ha e no explo ed
a ious coping ou es, by which we e e o he ways in which
indi iduals p og ess om using one p oblem- ocused o
emo ion- ocused coping s a egy o using ano he s a egy
and/o eapp aising he inciden (e.g., o eapp aise an inci-
den as no longe ele an ). No ha e hey explo ed di e en
coping sequences, by which we e e o he combina ions o
wo o mo e consecu i e coping s a egies ha indi iduals
may use (e.g., he use o a p oblem- ocused s a egy a e an
emo ion- ocused s a egy). Table 1 summa izes he s udy’s
key concep s.
As such, a gap and a call o esea ch ega ding “ he
sequencing and in e play o p oblem- and emo ion- ocused”
coping s a egies s ill exis (Beaud y and Pinsonneaul 2005,
p. 519; S ein e al. 2015). Unde s anding hese complexi ies
is impo an o se e al easons. Fi s , IT use s may engage
in un a o able coping, causing ha m o IT p o ide s’ busi-
ness. Second, he dynamic na u e o coping is emphasized in
he IT use con ex —wi h many echnologies such as mobile
applica ions, use s a e ema kably impa ien (e.g., 49% o
use s expec mobile applica ions o espond wi hin wo
seconds), o en expe ience in ense nega i e emo ions (e.g.,
us a ion), and a e awa e o no only po en ial help ul
upda es bu also a ious al e na i es om compe i o s
(Appdynamics 2017; Dimensional Resea ch 2015). Thi d, he
esea ch gap e lec s an a gued misma ch be ween IT use
heo ies and how IT is ac ually used in eal li e (O iz de
Guinea and Webs e 2013). Al oge he , use s’ mul i ace ed
coping s a egies and hei in e play cons i u e a c i ical
building block o IT use (Beaud y and Pinsonneaul 2005;
S ein e al. 2015), which is one o he mos cen al concep s
in he IS ield (Bu on-Jones e al. 2017; S aub and del
Giudice 2012). Indeed, i would be impossible o achie e a
comp ehensi e unde s anding o pos -adop i e IT use wi hou
conside ing he complexi y o use s’ coping ac i i ies a e
nega i e IT inciden s.
To add ess he esea ch gap, we ask wo esea ch ques ions:
(1) How do IT use s na iga e be ween p oblem- ocused
coping s a egies, emo ion- ocused coping s a egies, and
app aisals?
(2) Wha kinds o ou es and sequences do he p oblem-
ocused s a egies, emo ion- ocused s a egies, and
app aisals enable?
1144 MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
Table 1. Summa y o he Cen al Concep s wi h Examples
Concep Desc ip ion Illus a i e Example
Coping The o e all se o an indi idual’s dynamic cogni i e
and beha io al e o s o managing demanding
si ua ions.
An o e all se o a use ’s eac ions and esponses o
a mobile applica ion ailu e.
Coping
s a egy
A speci ic way o ac ualizing a coping a emp in
p ac ice.
A use ’s a emp o ix a mobile applica ion ailu e by
clea ing he applica ion’s cache and memo y.
App aisal An indi idual’s subjec i e (implici o explici )
e alua ions abou an inciden o a si ua ion in
ela ion o he /himsel .
A use ’s assessmen o whe he a mobile applica ion
ailu e is ele an in e ms o he use ’s daily
ac i i ies.
Coping
ou e
The way in which an indi idual p og esses om a
p oblem- ocused o emo ion- ocused coping s a egy
(e.g., o a eassessmen o app aisal o o ano he
coping s a egy).
A use ’s p og ession om downplaying a pe sonally
ele an mobile applica ion ailu e o eassessing he
ailu e as no longe ele an o he /himsel .
Coping
sequence
A combina ion o using wo o mo e consecu i e
coping s a egies.
A use ’s e o s in esponding o a mobile applica ion
ailu e by i s en ing emo ions, hen a emp ing o
ix a ailu e wi hou success, and inally swi ching o
an al e na i e applica ion.
To answe hese ques ions, we conduc ed a mixed me hods
s udy o de elop a model abou he in e play o coping s a-
egies and o p o ide suppo o he model wi h a wide
popula ion o mobile applica ion use s. We chose o ocus on
he con ex o mobile applica ions used o pe sonal pu poses
o he ollowing easons:
(1) The mobile applica ion con ex cu en ly ep esen s one
o he mos popula o ms o IT and e lec s many main
cha ac e is ics o con empo a y IT use (e.g., mobili y and
pe sonaliza ion).
(2) This con ex highligh s common ypes o nega i e inci-
den s (e.g., mal unc ions) and coping s a egies (e.g.,
swi ching o an al e na i e applica ion o downplaying
he impo ance o applica ions).
(3) Use s can o en olun a ily decide how hei pe sonal
mobile applica ions a e used, hus inc easing hei op-
ions o engaging in a ious coping s a egies and
sequences.
Ou con ibu ion o he IT coping li e a u e is h ee old. Fi s ,
we p o ide new explana ions o he p e iously unexamined
a ea o how coping po en ially con inues a e an IT use
employs a coping s a egy. We achie e his by unco e ing six
popula coping ou es and ou ypes o coping sequences ha
explain how use s na iga e be ween p oblem- ocused s a-
egies, emo ion- ocused s a egies, and app aisals. In con as
o p e ious IT coping s udies ha ea coping as a a he
s a ic, s aigh o wa d, and unidi ec ional phenomenon, ou
indings abou dynamic, complex, and mul idi ec ional coping
ou es and sequences imp o e he cu en unde s anding o
how pos -adop i e IT use eme ges in eali y. The dynamic,
complex, and mul idi ec ional na u e o coping has ecei ed
limi ed a en ion in many o he schola ly domains (Calmei o
e al. 2014; Folkman 2011; Li e al. 2011). Ou s udy also
in oduces a echnique o collec ing sequen ial eal-li e da a
abou such coping ou es and sequences. Second, ou indings
p o ide new insigh s in o (1) he ole o momen a y emo ional
load be o e use s selec hei coping s a egies (in con as o
he emo ions while employing he s a egies, which has been
he ocus o se e al p io s udies) and (2) he impo ance o
he in ensi y o emo ions (in con as o he ype o emo ions,
which has been he ocus o some p io s udies). Thi d, we
we e able o ex ac IT- and mobile-speci ic cha ac e is ics
ela ed o coping. Such indings con ibu e o he calls o
p o iding con ex ualized insigh s on coping and IT use
(Bu on-Jones e al. 2017; Laza us 1993; Venka esh e al.
2012). As p ac ical implica ions, we poin ou a o able and
un a o able coping sequences and s a egies om he IT
p o ide s’ and use s’ pe spec i es. The indings inc ease he
po en ial o IT p o ide s o achie e success ul p oduc o
se ice eco e y by iden i ying bo h p oblema ic and desi -
able coping sequences and s a egies.
Theo e ical Backg ound
Theo y o Coping
Coping is de ined as “cons an ly changing cogni i e and
beha io al e o s exe ed o manage speci ic ex e nal and/o
MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020 1145
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
Figu e 1. Simpli ied Illus a ion o he Coping P ocess and Resea ch Gaps
in e nal demands ha a e app aised as axing o exceeding he
esou ces o he pe son” (Laza us and Folkman 1984, p.
141). In he con ex o IT use, such demands can de i e om
IT inciden s ha occu in a use ’s en i onmen (Beaud y and
Pinsonneaul 2005; Elie-Di -Cosaque and S aub 2011).
Acco dingly, coping e e s o a si ua ion in which a use deals
wi h hose demands— o ins ance, by ( e)shaping he /his IT
use (Beaud y and Pinsonneaul 2005; S ein e al. 2015).
While posi i e IT inciden s can also e lec many ypes o use
esponses and beha io s (Ta a da e al. 2019), his s udy
ocuses on nega i e IT inciden s because o hei p oblema ic
consequences o IT p o ide s and use s.
We chose o apply he heo y o coping (Laza us and Folkman
1984) as ou heo e ical lens o he ollowing easons. Fi s ,
he heo y speci ically ocuses on how indi iduals deal wi h
nega i e inciden s ha de i e om hei in e ac ion wi h he
en i onmen , hus allowing o an examina ion o bo h he IT
(i.e., he po en ial igge o nega i e inciden s in he IT use
con ex ) and he use (i.e., use s’ esponses and beha io s).
Second, he heo y iden i ies he key elemen s ha explain
how indi iduals app aise eme ging inciden s and how such
app aisals shape complex esponses and ice e sa ( Folkman
and Moskowi z 2004; Laza us 1993). Thi d, he heo y has
p o ided a use ul ounda ion o unde s anding beha io in
psychology (Folkman 2013; Folkman and Moskowi z 2004;
Laza us 1993) and pos -adop i e use in IS (Fadel and B own
2010; O iz de Guinea and Webs e 2013).
Acco ding o he seminal wo k by Laza us and Folkman
(1984), he coping p ocess consis s o ou main s eps: a
nega i e inciden /si ua ion, app aisals, coping s a egies, and
an ou come (see also Beaud y and Pinsonneaul 2005;
Folkman and Moskowi z 2004; Liang and Xue 2009; O iz de
Guinea and Webs e 2013). Coping is ypically ini ia ed by
a ce ain inciden (o a se ies o inciden s) ha con lic s wi h
an indi idual’s goals. As he p ima y app aisal, an indi idual
(implici ly o explici ly) e alua es he inciden ’s pe sonal
ele ance and signi icance (Folkman 2013; Laza us and
Folkman 1984). Fu he app aisals o coping e o s become
salien only i he inciden is conside ed ele an (Laza us and
Folkman 1984). As he seconda y app aisal, an indi idual
(implici ly o explici ly) es ima es he /his con idence, sel -
e icacy, and con ol o e he si ua ion (Beaud y and Pinson-
neaul 2005; Laza us and Folkman 1984). While he e ms
con idence, sel -e icacy, and con ol a e a imes used in e -
changeably, we employ he e m con idence and speci y i o
e e o an indi idual’s pe cep ions o he /his abili y o handle
a nega i e IT inciden . The seconda y app aisal in luences
he indi idual’s selec ion be ween he wo main coping s a-
egies: p oblem- ocused coping and emo ion- ocused coping
(Ca e e al. 1989; Laza us and Folkman 1984; Liang and
Xue 2009). E en hough p e ious esea ch has epo ed
mixed indings, he sense o con idence, sel -e icacy, and
con ol end o lead o p oblem- ocused s a egies, while he
sense o no ha ing hese is associa ed wi h emo ion- ocused
s a egies (Folkman and Moskowi z 2004). Wi h p oblem-
ocused s a egies, an indi idual a emp s o add ess he p ob-
lem a hand ins umen ally and conc e ely. Fo example, a
use can y o swi ch o an al e na i e mobile applica ion a e
using a ailing applica ion. In con as , an indi idual engaging
in emo ion- ocused coping aims o add ess he /his emo ions
associa ed wi h he p oblem. Fo ins ance, a use can ai ou
he /his emo ions abou an IT inciden .
The coping s a egies may in e play and appea in sequences
(Folkman and Moskowi z 2004; Laza us 1993; Laza us and
Folkman 1984). P io s udies imply heo e ically possible
op ions. Fo ins ance, an indi idual can na iga e be ween
p oblem- ocused and emo ion- ocused s a egies when
esponding o a nega i e inciden (Ben-Zu 2009). The
sequences o coping s a egies can be based on di e en
ou es, including complemen a y app oaches (e.g., handling
emo ions i s and hen ackling he p oblem), eapp aisal
app oaches (e.g., using emo ion- ocused s a egies o econ-
side he ele ance o he inciden ), and ial-and-e o
app oaches (e.g., ailing o ackle he p oblem wi h one
s a egy and hen ying ano he p oblem- ocused s a egy o
1146 MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020

Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
managing one’s emo ions) (Laza us 1993; Laza us and
Folkman 1984). The ideal ou come o he coping p ocess is
closu e, meaning he e is no longe a p e ailing p oblem o
need o coping. Howe e , coping p ocesses do no always
end wi h a clea closu e, and indi iduals can emain s uck
wi h coping (Laza us 1993).
While p io esea ch in psychology and o he domains has
p esen ed such ini ial insigh s and ideas abou he in e play o
coping, i has la gely o e looked he mul idi ec ional, dyna-
mic na u e o coping (Folkman 2011; Li e al. 2011). Fo
ins ance, he e is limi ed empi ical e idence ega ding he
ecu si e in e play be ween app aisals and coping s a egies,
indi iduals’ al e a ions be ween di e en coping s a egies,
and he sequencing o se e al consecu i e coping s a egies
(Calmei o e al. 2014; Hol and Dunn 2004). Figu e 1
summa izes he coping p ocess and ela ed esea ch gaps.
P io S udies on Coping wi h IT
Table 2 summa izes he main indings o p io IT coping
esea ch and u he illus a es he esea ch gap ela ed o he
in e play and sequencing o coping s a egies wi hin he con-
ex o IT use.2 O e all, he s udies on IT coping posi ha
use s’ coping begins wi h nega i e o dis up i e IT inciden s.
Examples o hese include sys em ailu es, use ailu es, com-
plexi y, secu i y issues, and o he IT- ela ed changes wi h ad-
e se ou comes o he use . In line wi h he heo y o coping,
he inciden s a e ollowed by app aisals as well as he use o
p oblem- ocused and emo ion- ocused s a egies.
Consis en wi h he coping esea ch in psychology (see Folk-
man and Moskowi z 2004; Laza us 1993) p io s udies on IT
coping ha e ound ha app aisal plays a key ole in s ee ing
use s owa d p oblem- ocused o emo ion- ocused s a egies.
Impo an ly, use s’ pe cep ions o high IT con idence, sel -
e icacy, and con ol end o p omo e p oblem- ocused s a-
egies, while low IT con idence, sel -e icacy, and con ol
appea o esona e wi h emo ion- ocused s a egies. These
indings ha e been demons a ed in he con ex s o bank
sys ems (Beaud y and Pinsonneaul 2005), en e p ise esou ce
planning sys ems (Elie-Di -Cosaque and S aub 2011), and
adminis a i e so wa e packages (S ein e al. 2015). Bo h
p oblem- ocused and emo ion- ocused s a egies appea o be
a ailable ega dless o whe he he use s pe cei e nega i e IT
inciden s as h ea s o oppo uni ies (Beaud y and Pinson-
neaul 2005; Elie-Di -Cosaque and S aub 2011; Liang and
Xue 2009; S ein e al. 2015).
Only a ew o he IT coping s udies include p elimina y sug-
ges ions abou he in e play and he sequencing o app aisals
and coping s a egies. Fo example, use s’ coping e o s in
ela ion o IT inciden s can change while hey p ocess he
si ua ion (O iz de Guinea 2016), and coping- ela ed use pa -
e ns can appea and disappea when di e en IT inciden s
eme ge (O iz de Guinea and Webs e 2013). In a simila
way, S ein e al. (2015) e eal ha use s can ha e a uni o m
o mixed-emo ion app aisal: hey do no necessa ily ha e a
s a ic pe cep ion abou he meaning o he inciden . A s udy
by Bha ache jee e al. (2018) p o ides ini ial insigh s e-
ga ding he in e play o di e en coping s a egies; i epo s
“ en a i e suppo ” (p. 16) o h ee ansi ions in which use s
can shi om de ian o eluc an esponses, om eluc an
o complian esponses, and om complian o engaged
esponses. Thei s udy u he sugges s ha he ansi ions a e
associa ed wi h changing app aisals. Howe e , p io s udies
do no explain exac ly how such ansi ions ake place, wha
o he ansi ions could be possible, o how use s p og ess
be ween di e en s a egies and app aisals.
In sum, we build on he heo y o coping and p io s udies by
applying he ecu en elemen s o coping: app aisals,
p oblem- ocused s a egies, and emo ion- ocused s a egies.
While many o he p io s udies appea o po ay IT coping
as a s aigh o wa d phenomenon wi h simpli ied diag ams,
hey simul aneously acknowledge ha he e a e po en ially
se e al ou es and sequences ega ding he main elemen s o
coping. Howe e , he p io s udies a e limi ed in e ms o
explaining hem. Thus, we aim o con ibu e o he IT coping
esea ch by explo ing hese complexi ies wi h ou empi ical
s udy.
Me hods
Explaining he complexi y o use s’ coping p ocesses equi ed
de ailed da a abou hei eal-li e esponses o nega i e IT
inciden s. The e o e, we chose o conduc a s udy wi h a
quali a i e ocus because such app oaches a e deemed use ul
in unco e ing ich in o ma ion and gene a ing heo e ical
explana ions abou complex IT use in eal-li e con ex s (Be g
2004; Venka esh e al. 2013). We supplemen ed ou quali-
a i e da a wi h quan i a i e da a collec ed om 750 use s o
p o ide wide suppo o he eme ging indings. In sho , we
conduc ed a h ee-phase collec ion o da a (Table 3) abou
use s’ app aisals and coping e o s a e nega i e mobile
applica ion inciden s and analyzed hem by applying he
heo y o coping (Laza us and Folkman 1984) as an o e -
a ching heo e ical lens.
2We sea ched o ele an a icles in he ollowing ways (Webs e and
Wa son 2002): We sough a icles ha examine coping in ela ion o an IT
a i ac (in a way ha i s wi h he de ini ion o coping p esen ed ea lie );
iden i ied key a icles in p emie ou le s (e.g., Beaud y and Pinsonneaul
2005; S ein e al. 2015); u ilized ci a ion sea ches; and conduc ed u he
keywo d sea ches wi h combina ions o he e ms “coping,” “cope,” “in o -
ma ion sys ems,” and “in o ma ion echnology” o complemen ou e iew.
MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020 1147
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
Table 2. Summa y o Cen al IT Coping Resea ch
S udy IT Con ex Main Coping-Rela ed Findings
In e play and Sequencing o
Coping S a egies
Beaud y and
Pinsonneaul
2005
Accoun managemen
sys ems o bank
employees
Coping model o use adap a ion:
iden i ica ion o ou s a egies o
coping wi h IT based on p ima y and
seconda y app aisals
Beaud y and
Pinsonneaul
2010
Applica ions o suppo
bank accoun manage s
The linkages o ou ypes o
emo ions wi h p ima y and seconda y
app aisals
Bha ache jee e
al. 2018
Physicians’ use o a
hospi al pa ien sys em
Iden i ying ou use esponses o IT:
engaged, complian , eluc an , o
de ian
Di ec ansi ion possibili ies om
A) de ian o eluc an , B)
eluc an o complian , and C)
complian o engaged
Bu ns e al. 2017 O ganiza ional IS The ela ionships be ween
psychological capi al, coping
app aisals, and in o ma ion secu i y
p o ec ion
D’A cy e al. 2014 Sys ems emphasizing
in o ma ion secu i y
The e ec o secu i y s ess and
mo al disengagemen on iola ion o
in o ma ion secu i y policy
D’A cy e al. 2018 Sys ems emphasizing
in o ma ion secu i y
Replica ion o he indings o D’A cy
e al. (2014) in a con ex o a single
o ganiza ion
Elie-Di -Cosaque
and S aub 2011
An ERP sys em ha
changed he ways o
wo king
De eloping measu es o he model
by Beaud y and Pinsonneaul (2005)
and es ing i
Fadel and B own
2010
Elec onic medical
sys em in a uni e si y
heal hca e depa men
The ela ionship be ween UTAUT
ac o s wi h p ima y and seconda y
app aisals
Liang and Xue
2010
Spywa e and an i-
spywa e so wa e
The ela ionship be ween h ea
pe cep ion and a oidance
Liang and Xue
2009
Theo e ical:
Sa egua ding/
malicious IT
Use s’ pe cep ions o he a oidabili y
o IT h ea s s ee s he selec ion o
p oblem- ocused and emo ion-
ocused s a egies
O iz de Guinea
2016
Wo k so wa e; wo d
p ocessing so wa e
Condi ions o engagemen and
disengagemen s a egies
Possibili y om engagemen o
engagemen /disengagemen
O iz de Guinea
and Webs e
2013
Page and wo d
p ocessing so wa e
Unco e ing o wo IT use pa e ns:
adjus ing pa e ns, which u n in o
au oma ic pa e ns o e ime
S ein e al. 2015 An adminis a i e
so wa e package o
uni e si ies
Iden i ying how cues and uni o m s.
mixed a ec i e esponses yield
di e en IT use pa e ns
Tu e al. 2015 Mobile and lap op
de ices
The ela ionships be ween
in o ma ion sou ces and coping wi h
isk o de ice loss/ he
Wang e al. 2017 Phishing emails Iden i y h ee coping esponses and
ela ed app aisals o phishing
de ec ion
Yin e al. 2018 Use o mobile echnol-
ogies o wo k
In o ma ion p ocessing imeliness
and job con ol assis an suppo can
inc ease job sa is ac ion
1148 MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
Table 3. Summa y o he Da a Collec ion Phases
Phase P ocedu e Use s (N) Goal
1 CIT ques ionnai e wi h open-ended ques ions:
p elimina y da a abou use s’ nega i e IT
inciden s
89 To ga he p elimina y in o ma ion o unde -
s anding use s’ nega i e IT inciden s and pos -
inciden beha io s
2 In e iews: in-dep h insigh s abou use s’
nega i e IT inciden s and coping e o s
30 To ga he de ailed in o ma ion o de eloping
an ini ial model explaining coping a e
nega i e IT inciden s
3 CIT ques ionnai e wi h open-ended and closed-
ended ques ions: use s’ coping e o s wi hin a
wide popula ion o use s
750 To p o ide suppo o he eme ging model and
indings and o complemen hem
Da a Collec ion
Phase 1. We used an online ques ionnai e o collec p elim-
ina y da a abou mobile applica ion use s’ nega i e inciden s
wi h he c i ical inciden echnique (CIT). A c i ical inciden
is de ined as a single expe ience ha a pe son pe cei es o be
“unusually posi i e o nega i e” (Ed a dsson and Roos 2001,
p. 253). The well-es ablished CIT, o iginally de eloped by
Flanagan (1954), has se e al s eng hs: The inciden s a e
based on eal-li e ins ead o hypo he ical si ua ions, he ech-
nique so s ou c i ical inciden s om o he inciden s, use s
can easily epo he inciden s in hei own wo ds, CIT has
been ound use ul o s udying emo ions, and he desc ip ions
a e open and a e hus no limi ed o he esea che ’s e min-
ology (Bu e ield e al. 2005; G emle 2004; Holloway and
Bea y 2008; Se enko and S ach 2009). We adap ed wo ding
om p e ious s udies (e.g., Bi ne e al. 1990; Meu e e al.
2000) and asked he esponden s o “ hink o a ime when
[ hey] had an ou s andingly posi i e o nega i e expe ience”
wi h a mobile applica ion. In his s udy, we only examined
he desc ip ions o nega i e inciden s. We asked he espon-
den s o desc ibe hei expe iences wi h de ails and answe
open-ended ques ions abou hei e o s and emo ions ela ed
o he inciden s. We dis ibu ed he ques ionnai e o Finnish
mobile applica ion use s in 2012 ia online channels and
o ums ela ed o news, spo s, hobbies, pa en ing, amily,
women’s magazines, senio s, echnology, gaming, business,
science, and ag icul u e. We ecei ed desc ip ions o nega-
i e inciden s om 89 esponden s. O hese, 58 we e men
and 31 we e women; 22 esponden s we e aged 24 yea s o
unde , 33 we e aged be ween 25 and 34 yea s, 23 we e aged
be ween 35 and 44 yea s, and 11 we e aged 45 yea s o o e .
Addi ional de ails abou Phase 1 a e a ailable in Appendix B.
Phase 2. We wan ed o deepen he insigh s gained in Phase
1 by in e iewing 30 Finnish mobile applica ion use s (28
indi idual in e iews and one in e iew wi h wo use s); 23
o he use s we e in e iewed ace- o- ace and 7 ia ideo.
We delibe a ely sough in o ma ion- ich mobile applica ion
use s by using he ollowing c i e ia: The in e iewee had o
(1) possess e iden expe ience o using mobile applica ions in
hei daily li e (mo e han jus es ing he applica ions),
(2) ha e i s -hand expe iences o nega i e mobile applica ion
inciden s, and (3) ha e he abili y o desc ibe hei inciden s
and coping e o s in de ail. We con ac ed po en ial in e -
iewees by ha nessing ou ne wo ks (e.g., sending in e iew
in i a ions h ough social ne wo king se ices) as well as
employing he snowballing echnique (Pa on 1990). We
a oided si ua ions whe e he in e iewe would know he
in e iewee pe sonally. We ollowed he main guidelines o
in e iewing by Mye s and Newman (2007). We conduc ed
semi-s uc u ed in e iews, used he insigh s gained om ou
p elimina y da a, and always le oom o new hemes o
eme ge om he in e iews (Mye s and Newman 2007). We
aimed o educe social dissonance by appea ing diploma ic,
empa he ic, and us wo hy (Mye s and Newman 2007). To
p o ide con ex o ou da a, we asked he in e iewees o
desc ibe hei backg ound ela ed o IT use and mobile appli-
ca ions. We also asked hem a ious ques ions abou hei
highly nega i e inciden s wi h mobile applica ions, how hey
had deal wi h he inciden s, hei e o s and beha io s du ing
and a e he inciden s, and how hey el abou he inciden s.
Wi h ou ques ions, we aimed o gain sequen ial iews o how
he in e iewees’ nega i e inciden s and coping e o s
occu ed (i.e., na a i es). We employed he mi o ing ech-
nique o ocus on he in e iewees’ own language (Mye s and
Newman 2007). We conduc ed in e iews un il a su icien
le el o sa u a ion had been eached— ha is, when essen ially
no new in o ma ion eme ged o he pu pose o his s udy and
he bene i o conduc ing u he in e iews was deemed ma -
ginal. The in e iews—conduc ed in Jy äskylä and Helsinki
(Finland) be ween 2013 and 2016 (due o he e olu ion o ou
esea ch p ojec ) and las ing 45 minu es on a e age—we e
eco ded and ansc ibed o he ele an pa s. O he in e -
iewees, 13 we e women and 17 we e men. The age o he
in e iewees anged om 14 o 53 yea s. The in e iewees
a ied in e ms o IT use expe ience. Thei occupa ional
s a us a ied and included employed, unemployed, s uden ,
and pupil. A summa y o each in e iewee’s coping s a egies
is p esen ed in Appendix B.
MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020 1149
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
Table 4. Phase 3: Backg ound In o ma ion o he Ques ionnai e Responden s (N=750)
F equency F equency
Gende Coun y o esidence
Male 415 (55.3%) USA 750 (100%)
Female 335 (44.7%) Mobile applica ion use equency
Age Daily 731 (97.5%)
18–29 228 (30.4%) Weekly 16 (2.1%)
30–39 306 (40.8%) Mon hly 3 (0.4%)
40–49 136 (18.1%)
Sel -e alua ed le el o expe ise
ela ed o using mobile applica ions
50–59 63 (8.4%)
60 and o e 17 (2.3%)
Types o mobile applica ions
being used
Ve y low 4 (0.5%)
Low 12 (1.6%)
B owse s 700 (93.3%) Mode a e 167 (22.3%)
Video and music 663 (88.4%) High 269 (35.9%)
Social ne wo king 647 (86.3%) Ve y high 298 (39.7%)
U ili ies (e.g., email, maps, e c.) 624 (83.2%) Mobile de ice wi h which he
epo ed applica ion ailu e
inciden occu ed
Shopping 558 (74.4%)
Games 523 (69.7%)
Leisu e and hobbies 379 (49.3%) Sma phone 706 (94.1%)
Heal h 398 (46.9%) Table 44 (5.9%)
Phase 3. Finally, we examined he app aisals, coping s a-
egies, and hei in e play wi h a wide popula ion o mobile
applica ion use s om he Uni ed S a es. As he da a om
phases 1 and 2 enabled us o de elop a model abou he in e -
play o use s’ coping s a egies (elabo a ed in he “Da a
Analysis” sec ion), we employed a CIT ques ionnai e o p o-
ide suppo o he model and o complemen i . In he ques-
ionnai e, we asked he esponden s o hink o a speci ic ime
when hey had an ou s andingly nega i e expe ience caused
by a mobile applica ion ailu e (see Bi ne e al. 1990; Meu e
e al. 2000), name he applica ion, and desc ibe he ailu e
inciden . We ope a ionalized he cons uc s o ou model (see
Figu e 4 in he “Resul s” sec ion) and asked closed-ended
ques ions abou he esponden s’ ini ial app aisals o he inci-
den (i.e., pe sonal ele ance, momen a y emo ional load, and
con idence o o e coming he IT inciden ), he coping
s a egies hey employed a e he inciden (one by one in a
empo al o de ), and hei subsequen ( e)app aisals a e each
employed coping s a egy. In cases whe e he esponden
epo edly expe ienced high momen a y emo ional load, we
addi ionally asked whe he he choice o coping s a egy was
in luenced mo e by he /his momen a y emo ional load o by
he /his con idence o o e coming he IT inciden (o lack
he eo ). We chose o use yes/no answe op ions o pe sonal
ele ance, momen a y emo ional load, and con idence be-
cause hey enabled us o gain explici answe s o wha we
eally wan ed o measu e in his pa icula s udy. The espon-
den s we e also asked o desc ibe why hey had employed
each coping s a egy and o b ie ly desc ibe hei inal
hough s and eelings abou he ailu e inciden . We con-
s uc ed he ques ionnai e o be in e ac i e so ha he subse-
quen ques ions we e based on each esponden ’s p e ious
answe s (i.e., hey i s selec ed all coping s a egies hey had
employed and hen elabo a ed on hem one by one). An
exempla scena io o he ques ionnai e’s low is p esen ed in
Appendix C. We used ou da a and he p e ious li e a u e o
ca e ully selec he wo ding o he ques ionnai e and made
e inemen s a e a p e- es (4 pe sons) and a pilo es (40
pe sons). We also consul ed a p o essional p oo eade o
he ph asing o he ques ions and ins uc ions. We hen
launched he ques ionnai e in ea ly 2019 ia he online c owd-
sou cing pla o m Amazon Mechanical Tu k, which is
ad an ageous o s udies ha a ge a la ge numbe o people,
equi es no unique expe ise om he esponden s, and o e s
he bene i o anonymous esponses (e.g., o minimize he
e ec o social desi abili y) (Low y, D’A cy e al. 2016;
Low y, Zhang e al. 2016). The beha io o Mechanical Tu k
use s in he Uni ed S a es is compa able o o he online and
o line se ings (Mason and Su i 2012). De ails abou ou
quali y con ol p ocedu es a e a ailable in Appendix B. We
collec ed da a un il we eached 750 alid esponses. In addi-
ion o hese, he da a collec ion esul ed in 149 in alid
esponses, which we e excluded o a ious easons (e.g., no
applica ion speci ied, no inciden desc ip ion, o i ele an /
1150 MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
P oblem-Focused Coping S a egies
and Rou es
We elabo a e on he ou p oblem- ocused s a egies and he
wo popula coping ou es ha each accoun o mo e han
10% o all he ou es o igina ing om p oblem- ocused s a-
egies (highligh ed in Figu e 4). Appendix E summa izes all
ou es and he equencies wi h which hey we e aken.
Fixing he IT. Wi h his s a egy, use s aim o sol e he
nega i e inciden s and applica ion ailu es on hei own. They
engage in e o s o gain in o ma ion abou he p oblem, look
o po en ial solu ions, and apply epai echniques o sol e
he p oblem. This s a egy is highly ac i e: some use s may
ind he p oblems e en s imula ing o exci ing and pu hem-
sel es o wo k o o e come he p oblem. Fo example, one o
he in e iewees s a ed ha he is a so o echnology eak
and occasionally desi es o ind ixes o wo ka ounds o
applica ion p oblems. He ela ed ha he migh pu a consid-
e able amoun o e o in o de ining he p oblem and seeking
ways o o e come i :
Answe (A): [I ca y ou ] a ca e ul de ec ion o
wha migh ha e gone w ong wi h [ he appli-
ca ion].
Ques ion (Q): Wha does his “ca e ul de ec ion”
mean?
A: Going h ough he use manual and he
[applica ion] menus, and hen googling. So, [I
google] he name o he applica ion and he
mal unc ion, wi h di e en combina ions o sea ch
wo ds. Could I ind a eason om he e ha
e lec s, o example, my de ice, ne wo k se ings,
and ne wo k ope a o ? Should I adjus a se ing
di e en ly om how he manual ins uc s, o
example? And pa icula ly, will some o he
se ings o my de ice in luence i , e en hough i ’s
no s a ed in he ins uc ions? Usually, you can
ind p e y good ips o such hings om o he
use s.
He u he concluded ha he ixing p ocedu e has become
ou ine o him, as he has esol ed such applica ion- ela ed
challenges nume ous imes. Consequen ly, he ini ially
nega i e inciden may e en esul in a posi i e sense o
achie emen .
Adjus ing Own Use o he IT. Use s may also eac o he
nega i e inciden s by adjus ing hei own ou ines o i he
applica ion: “When I need he applica ion, I will use [i ] e en
i i was cumbe some o equi ed ex a umbling.” They end
o adjus hei beha io in si ua ions whe e he e a e ew o no
al e na i es, when he applica ion is undoub edly necessa y,
and when hey al eady ha e conside able use his o y wi h he
applica ion (e.g., cases whe e a ou inely used applica ion is
upda ed “in a wo se di ec ion”). Use s a e willing o adjus
because hey do no expec o ge “a pe ec package” in ee
o inexpensi e applica ions. Since he mone a y sac i ices a e
ela i ely low, i is easie o use s o adjus o he de i-
ciencies. Fo ins ance, one in e iewee hough he inciden s
o unexpec ed sma phone ba e y d ain we e due o ce ain
applica ions ha consumed conside ably mo e ba e y powe
han o he s. She hen ackled hose inciden s by ca ying a
cha ge and using i du ing he day:
Ce ain applica ions d ain subs an ially mo e
ba e y .... I ’s ac ually wha annoys me .... Bu I
could ca y a ba e y cha ge wi h me, so i wasn’
like ha huge p oblem .... I could kind o pu some
e o in o i .... Fo example, jus like when some
applica ions d ain mo e ba e y and he ba e y
migh un ou du ing a [school]day, I jus could
ha e he ba e y cha ge wi h me and echa ge he
ba e y somewhe e a school… I jus li e wi h i ,
adjus o i .
Res aining un il Upda es. Since he upda e cycles o IT—
and o mobile applica ions especially—a e o en equen ,
use s may engage in a passi e p oblem- ocused s a egy by
wai ing o a ix ia an upda e. Al hough his s a egy may
esemble some emo ion- ocused aspec s, i is conside ed
p oblem- ocused because i s main aim is o e en ually sol e
he p oblem. Use s may ha e no iced ce ain ailu es wi h he
applica ions bu may conclude ha he p o ide s will no ice
and epai hem (e.g., by hei es ing o wi h he help o use
eedback). They may some imes con i m his by conduc ing
sea ch que ies: “I sea ched o in o ma ion abou he bug
wi h a sea ch engine, and o he s had iled complain s abou
he p oblem on he p oduce ’s online o ums.” Hopes o
imp o emen s and upda es a e highe wi h applica ions om
well-known b ands wi h a la ge use base. Fo ins ance, one
use hough ha he o hcoming upda es would ake ca e o
some de iciencies in his applica ions:
I ha e he expe ience ha e en poo [mobile
applica ions] will imp o e a e wai ing a couple o
mon hs .... So pe haps some imes I am op imis ic
[ ha ] someone else will complain and I’ll y o
emembe i wi h he nex ime i ’ll upda e.
Swi ching he IT. Se e al use s indica ed ha hey add ess
he p oblems caused by nega i e inciden s simply by
swi ching he applica ion o a simila applica ion o ano he
al e na i e. Use s emphasized how easy i is o ind and
MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020 1157

Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
download simila subs i u es om he applica ion ma ke -
place: “You can always ind mo e unc ional applica ions
and lea e he poo ones behind.” Fo ins ance, a mal-
unc ioning applica ion o a as ood chain caused one use
o o de ood wi h an applica ion o ano he as ood chain
(i.e., swi ching bo h he applica ion and he as ood chain, a
leas empo a ily). Ano he use ended up swi ching a spo s
acking applica ion because i s opped wo king. E en hough
she had p e e ed he o iginal applica ion, she ound new
ea u es in an al e na i e: “Fi s , [ he o iginal applica ion]
s opped wo king, so I had o es a new one. Then, I ound
a ious ea u es ha I liked om he new [applica ion]… I
dele ed [ he o iginal applica ion] quickly.” She emphasized
ha ega dless o he use his o y wi h he o iginal applica ion,
i was easy o download and es ano he . Fu he mo e, she
an icipa ed ha she could econside he o iginal applica ion
when she buys a new sma phone, since i migh be mo e
compa ible wi h a new model.
Rou e 1: Resolu ion. Resolu ion e e s o he popula ou e
o sol ing a p oblem ha caused he inciden , hus making he
p e iously ele an inciden no longe ele an . Use s may
each hei aims in ixing he p oblem, adjus ing hei use,
enjoying an imp o ed upda e, o swi ching he applica ion. In
such cases, esolu ion no only b ings closu e o he inciden
in ques ion bu can also p e en simila inciden s om
occu ing in he u u e. Fo example, when one in e iewee’s
music s eaming applica ion s opped unc ioning, she eached
a esolu ion by swi ching o ano he simila applica ion:
I had a music s eaming applica ion. And i s opped
wo king and didn’ unc ion anymo e like i used o,
so I swi ched i o [subs i u ing music s eaming
applica ion] .... The o iginal applica ion showed me
my old playlis o songs ha I had c ea ed wi h i ,
bu I could no longe sea ch o new music .... So I
jus had o ge new music o me o lis en o, so hen
I decided o download [ he o he music s eaming
applica ion] .... And hen [ he subs i u ing appli-
ca ion] unc ioned jus aul lessly.
Rou e 2: Repea ing P oblem-Focused Coping. Ano he
popula ou e en ailed engaging in consecu i e p oblem-
ocused s a egies wi h no changes in app aisal condi ions. As
such, pe sonal ele ance, momen a y emo ional load, and con-
idence o o e coming he IT inciden emained unchanged.
Wi h his ou e, use s employed ei he he same o a di e en
p oblem- ocused s a egy a e he ea lie s a egy ailed o
p oduce a esolu ion. Fo ins ance, a use ’s heal h applica ion
measu ed heal h in o ma ion alsely. Fi s , he use a emp ed
o ix he IT by changing he applica ion se ings. As his did
no wo k, he use decided o buy ano he de ice o measu e
heal h in o ma ion:
I use almos e e y day [ he heal h applica ion] o
coun he numbe o s eps I ake, my wo kou , and
he calo ie in ake coun . I had a e y good us in
his app un il I ealized i was ailing o coun my
s eps co ec ly. As an example, i was coun ing my
s eps when I was in he ca d i ing. Tha messed me
up because I had less s ep han wha he app was
showing .... [Desc ip ion o ixing he IT:] I wen o
he accoun se ings o see i i was some hing ha
I can s op he s ep coun ing while I was in he ca ,
bu I couldn’ ind .... [Desc ip ion o hen
swi ching he IT:] I bough [a i ness sma wa ch
and] coun my s eps wi h [i ].
Less F equen Rou es. Rou es 3, 4, and 5 we e aken less
equen ly. Rou e 3 (emo ional unloadinga) e e s o a change
in momen a y emo ional load om high o low, ou e 4
(dec easing con idencea) o a change in con idence o o e -
coming he IT inciden om high o low, and ou e 5 (PF-EF
ansi ions) o a di ec ansi ion om p oblem- ocused coping
o emo ion- ocused coping wi h no changes in app aisal
condi ions.
Emo ion-Focused Coping S a egies
and Rou es
We elabo a e on he ou emo ion- ocused s a egies and he
ou popula coping ou es ha each accoun o mo e han
10% o all he ou es o igina ing om emo ion- ocused
s a egies (Figu e 4).
Empa hizing wi h he IT P o ide . Use s could manage
hei emo ions by compassion: o some use s, nega i e inci-
den s aised eelings o empa hy and pi y o he applica ion
p o ide s. Fo ins ance, one in e iewee had expe ienced an
inciden wi h a ailway company’s applica ion. She had
a emp ed o pu chase a mobile icke o he sel and he
iend, bu he applica ion sen bo h icke s o one email
add ess. She ela ed ha “ he icke pu chase doesn’ wo k
wi h he applica ion” and ha he applica ion “is lacking ea-
u es when compa ed o he no mal ull [websi e] e sion.”
Howe e , she did no ile a complain . Ins ead, she hough
ha he applica ion was s ill unde de elopmen and ha he
ailway company likely ecei ed a lo o o he nega i e
eedback om u ious cus ome s:
I hink I’ e gi en eedback o he company abou so
many [o he ] issue, [laughs] ha I wouldn’ bo he
[complaining] abou a mobile applica ion anymo e
.... The win e season is coming [laughs], so I be
hey will ge a lo o complain s abou o he issues
… [I had] e en a li le sympa hy [ o he company].
1158 MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
Se e al in e iewees hough ha he applica ion p o ide s
ha e limi ed esou ces and al eady deal wi h many complex
IT p oblems. Some e en showed espec o he applica ion
p o ide s:
I can see om [a mobile applica ion] when i has
been de eloped in a limi ed ime- ame ha he
applica ion de elope s ha e spo ed. And hen I can
es ima e [ he de elope ’s] esou ces so ha I can’
ask o oo many ea u es o be in ol ed [in he
applica ion] … I eally conside i qui e a espec-
able achie emen when a de elope has wo ked
ha d o de elop a mobile applica ion ha could be
used by a e y la ge c owd o people.
Downplaying he P oblem/IT. Use s also handled hei
us a ion and nega i e inciden s by beli ling he p oblem o
he ole o he applica ion in hei li e. Al hough use s
desc ibed ha hei inciden s we e momen a ily ele an and
in luen ial, hei pos -inciden desc ip ions included such ex-
p essions as “small applica ions, small wo ies” and “a he
end o he day, he applica ion is no so necessa y o me.”
One in e iewee desc ibed how he equen ly liked o engage
wi h he online se ices o a as ood chain. He no iced ha
he chain ad e ised a newly launched seasonal mobile appli-
ca ion. He downloaded i bu soon aced a highly disap-
poin ing inciden :
I o ally b oke down because [ he as ood chain’s
applica ion] didn’ wo k. I s a ed bu hen i was
like, when I clicked a bu on in a ce ain place,
some hing should ha e happened bu no hing
happened. I was e y disappoin ed, like, “Wha is
his c ap?”
Despi e hese s ong i s eac ions, he la e downplayed he
inciden and he ole o he applica ion in his li e. Al hough
he ailu e had caused subs an ial us a ion and addi ionally
esul ed in a conc e e loss (a ee cheesebu ge ), he add essed
his emo ions by ein e p e ing and diminishing he si ua ion:
I had no need o [complain] .... Maybe pa ly
because o he edundancy o he applica ion. I did
no ind i necessa y he e; i I lose one cheese-
bu ge , i is no c ucial o me .... Some [appli-
ca ions] a e jus kind o bonus o me, like [ he as
ood chain’s applica ion]. I ’s eally only a so o
c eam on op o e e y hing else. I i doesn’ wo k,
i doesn’ bo he me.
Blaming he IT/Onesel . A segmen o he use s di ec ed
hei emo ions owa d hei de ices, applica ions, o hem-
sel es by blaming hem o he ailu e. Conce ning he
de ices, use s may aul mobile de ices in gene al o he
pa icula de ice hey possess. Fo example, one use
doub ed he de ice, since she was no su e “i he ailu e lies
in [he ] own mobile de ice o i s compa ibili y wi h he
pa icula applica ion.” As an example o blaming onesel ,
one in e iewee had an inciden whe e he ied o ind an
op imal ou e ia a public anspo applica ion. E en hough
he was disappoin ed ha he could no ind he much-needed
ou e, he blamed his own ac ions and capabili ies:
I was con using. I managed o come up wi h a
ou e [wi hin he applica ion], bu i appea ed o be
a wei d de ou ou e… I don’ know. I p obably
didn’ know how o use i co ec ly .... I p oposed
ha I use many di e en ehicles. Al hough I
could’ e a eled [ he same ip] much mo e
di ec ly, i showed me a mo e di icul op ion… I
ended up going he di icul ou e .... I didn’ know
i I had jus missed some hing abou [using he
applica ion]. Like I didn’ unde s and i p ope ly.
IT and sel -blame a e some imes in e wined, as he ollowing
quo a ion demons a es: “So i some p oblems occu , I imme-
dia ely hink ha i ’s jus a esul o [my] o e ly old phone,
ha I should buy a new one i I wan he applica ion o
unc ion.”
Online/O line Ven ing. Use s also exp essed hei us a-
ion h ough online o o line en ing. Ven ing e o s we e
o en ou ine and included s ong cu se wo ds. Typical online
channels o en ing included applica ion ma ke places, social
ne wo king si es, ins an messenge s, and discussion o ums.
Fo example, one in e iewee desc ibed how he had become
highly us a ed abou applica ions asking o pe mission o
access pe sonal in o ma ion, such as pho os s o ed on his
mobile de ice. Ins ead o bo ling up his us a ion abou
such inciden s, he exp essed i on he in e ne :
I [a TV s eaming mobile applica ion] asked me o
pe mission o access all o my pho os, I’m no su e
whe he I’d ins all i . Bu , a leas , I’d w i e many
g umbling blog pos s abou i a e I’d ha e o
ha en’ gi en he access o he applica ion .... I I
go a bad eeling, I could en i .
O line, many use s sha ed hei nega i e inciden s wi h
iends and amily. Ven ing may also occu when alone. One
o he in e iewed use s desc ibed his expe ience as ollows:
Q: Ha e you app oached he se ice p o ide ?
Ha e you hough abou complaining?
A: No, I jus cu sed and opened a bee … I jus
cu se how s upid i is ha [a speci ic ea u e o he
MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020 1159
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
applica ion] doesn’ appa en ly wo k. [The ea-
u e] wo ks wi h he co esponding desk op PC
applica ion bu appa en ly doesn’ wo k wi h [ he
mobile applica ion].
Rou e 6: Emo ional Ra ionaliza ion. Emo ional a ionali-
za ion e e s o he popula ou e o use s’ de ensi e e o s in
p ocessing emo ions o eapp aise he nega i e inciden and
lessen i s ele ance. Wi h such e o s, use s go o e wha has
happened and de elop a seemingly plausible explana ion
abou i s unimpo ance. These explana ions appea o p o ec
use s om u he nega i i y by con i ming ha he inciden
seems, a e some conside a ion, o be ela i ely unimpo an
o hem. As a esul , use s pe cei e an inciden hey p e-
iously el was highly ele an wi h much lowe ele ancy
and a e able o expe ience a leas a empo a y closu e o he
si ua ion. Fo example, his ou e was e en ually aken by a
use who had ini ially aced a highly signi ican p oblem, hen
in es ed conside able e o o sel - ix he p oblem, bu inally
ailed o ix i :
[A e desc ibing s ong us a ion:] Q: Ha e you
hough abou complaining a e hose [unsuccess ul
sel - ix] si ua ions?
A: No, because I’m no used o being aw ully
dependen on any o such mobile applica ions. I ’s
like people ha e managed o ge along [wi hou
mobile applica ions] o me ly, back in he good old
days and in his o y. E en hough I don’ know oo
much abou hose days, hey say people ha e been
able o ge along [wi hou such applica ions].
Rou e 7: Emo ional Unloadingb. Emo ional unloading
e e s o use s’ e o s o elease o soo he hei emo ional
load aised by he nega i e inciden . As emo ional a ionali-
za ion aimed a inding closu e, emo ional unloading ies o
elie e momen a y emo ional load o ca y on wi h he coping
p ocess (e.g., “I needed o clea my head, so I le ou all my
nega i e eelings so ha I could hink clea ly”). While use s
could employ se e al s a egies o emo ional unloading (e.g.,
soo hing in ense emo ions by empa hizing wi h he IT p o-
ide ), online/o line en ing was a ecu en way o hem o
dec ease hei momen a y emo ional load by “blowing o
s eam.” Two examples illus a e how en ing could educe
he du a ion o high us a ion and help o es o e emo ional
s abili y:
A leas he eeling o being pissed o [because o
an unpleasan inciden wi h a mobile applica ion]
las s sho e when I ai a couple o [ i ual]
g imaces and [ph asings wi h a cu se wo d] ou
somewhe e online.
I was so ang y, anxious, and us a ed I needed o
eel be e and ge my emo ions unde con ol
be o e doing any hing else!
Rou e 8: Repea ing Emo ion-Focused Coping. Use s also
employed epea ed emo ion- ocused s a egies o cope wi h
he inciden . This ou e did no include changes in pe sonal
ele ance, momen a y emo ional load, o con idence. Fo
example, one use was e y us a ed wi h an inope a i e
da ing app—an app ha she conside ed he only choice o
online da ing in he a ea. She i s exp essed he emo ions by
en ing and cu sing and hen, wi hou any changes in
app aisal, she downplayed he p oblem by calming down and
conside ing posi i e hings:
O e all, i was a e y nega i e expe ience o me,
e y disappoin ing .... [A da ing applica ion]
c ashed upon opening mos o he ime. When i
decided o wo k, he loca ion was always e y o ,
and I kep seeing people om hund eds o hou-
sands o miles away om me and he same 20–30
people’s p o iles kep showing up, which was e y
us a ing. Also, I could ne e engage in con e -
sa ions wi h anyone because he app always c ashed
when I opened up he messages .... [Desc ip ion o
online/o line en ing:] Cu sing o mysel was my
na u al esponse o a popula app pe o ming so
badly .... [Desc ip ion o hen downplaying he
p oblem/IT:] I ied o calm mysel a e he app
kep e using o wo k, elling mysel posi i e hings.
Rou e 9: EF-PF T ansi ion. This popula ou e e lec s
ansi ions om emo ion- ocused s a egies o p oblem-
ocused s a egies wi hou any changes in app aisals. O he
use s who ollowed his ou e, he as majo i y expe ienced
high momen a y emo ional load (152 wi h high emo ional
load and only 16 wi h low emo ional load). As such, hey
ended o engage in emo ional empowe men , e e ing o
si ua ions when use s ga he he nega i e emo ions aised by
he inciden and use hem as a boos o ake up a ms agains
hei p oblem. Such eac ion can igge p oblem- ocused
e o s in an impulsi e manne . Emo ional empowe men can
also compensa e o low con idence o o e coming he IT
inciden by enabling p oblem- ocused s a egies ia a b u e-
o ce app oach. Fo example, a use was agg a a ed because
a ideo cha applica ion kep ge ing s uck a he loading
sc een du ing he s a up. The use hen downplayed he ole
o he applica ion and en ed o summon he ange and cou -
age needed o add ess he p oblem by swi ching he
applica ion o a desk op e sion:
When I opened [ he ideo cha mobile applica ion],
i s a ed o upda e my old messages bi by bi ,
1160 MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
s a ing om he oldes message! And I had a six-
yea his o y [o cha logs] wi h [ ha applica ion]!
I ’s like, I ne e go o he poin o eaching e en
wo-yea -old messages. I jus didn’ ha e he ne e
o wai . So I hough ha I don’ gi e [a cu se
wo d]! So be i ! … I can use my desk op compu e
o ake ca e o wha I need [ om he applica ion].
Q: Do you mean ha you swi ched he de ice?
A: Yes. A leas [wi h his applica ion] I did.
Less F equen Rou e. Rou e 10 (dec easing con idenceb)
was aken less equen ly han he p e ious ou es o igina ing
om emo ion- ocused s a egies. I e e s o si ua ions whe e
con idence o o e coming he IT inciden changed om high
o low a e employing an emo ion- ocused s a egy.
Table 6 summa izes he numbe o coping s a egies applied
by use s in each coping ound.
Coping Sequences
Ou da a e ealed di e en sequences o coping. Based on
ou indings, we p opose a g ouping o ou dis inc sequence
ypes: dual coping sequence wi h closu e, maladap i e dual
coping sequence (wi hou closu e), p olonged coping
sequence wi h closu e, and maladap i e p olonged coping
sequence (wi hou closu e). Table 7 p esen s he equencies
o hese sequences based on he Phase 3 da ase . By dual
coping sequences wi h closu e (18.0% o he use s), we
e e o si ua ions whe e a use success ully employs a
combina ion o wo coping s a egies o o e come a nega i e
inciden (i.e., he ailu e is no longe ele an a e employing
he s a egies). By maladap i e dual coping sequences
(wi hou closu e) (14.0%), we e e o sequences o he wise
simila excep ha no closu e is eached (i.e., he ailu e
emains ele an a e he s a egies a e employed). Mos o
he dual coping sequences (wi h o wi hou closu e) in ol ed
bo h a p oblem- ocused and an emo ion- ocused s a egy. An
example o a dual coping sequence wi h closu e is a si ua ion
whe e a use el us a ed a e a mobile banking applica ion
ailed o deposi a check; he en ed his emo ions by cu sing
a he applica ion and sol ed he p oblem by swi ching o
ano he applica ion wi h a di e en bank accoun .
By p olonged coping sequences wi h closu e (10.1%), we
e e o si ua ions ha in ol e h ee o mo e consecu i e
coping s a egies ha e en ually lead o closu e. Finally,
maladap i e p olonged coping sequences (wi hou closu e)
(11.1%) e e o si ua ions in ol ing h ee o mo e s a egies
wi hou eaching closu e in ega d o he nega i e inciden .
Fo example, a use had emained in a icious cycle o no
inding a p ope ideo applica ion ha would wo k wi h sub-
i les (Appendix D). The use po ayed he inciden ’s
ele ance by emphasizing his need o an applica ion ha
would wo k. He es ima ed ha he could easily ind an al e -
na i e, and he swi ched o an al e na i e applica ion ha
displayed sub i les bu ailed o wo k o he wise due o c ashes
and eezes. He hen an icipa ed upda es ha ne e eme ged.
He egained hope by inding ano he p ospec i e applica ion
ha was se o elease on his sma phone’s ope a ing sys em
bu was ne e eleased. He in es ed u he e o in
sea ching e en mo e o al e na i e applica ions bu was dis-
appoin ed by hei poo quali y. As such, he epea ed mul iple
cycles o p oblem- ocused a emp s wi hou success ul
closu e.
Discussion
Wi h his s udy, we ha e a emp ed o push IS esea ch on
coping o wa d and o assis IT p o ide s in be e suppo ing
hei use s in e ms o coping wi h nega i e inciden s.
Pa icula ly, ou no el indings ha e implica ions o IS
esea che s who use he heo y o coping in explaining pos -
adop i e IT use. The esea ch con ibu ions and p ac ical
implica ions a e p esen ed below.
Con ibu ions o Resea ch
This s udy makes h ee con ibu ions o esea ch. Fi s , IS
esea che s ha e p o ided in aluable insigh s in o he selec-
ion o coping s a egies in IT use con ex s, bu hey ha e no
de ailed how coping po en ially con inues a e a use employs
a coping s a egy. Thus, ou indings shed ligh on his
p e iously unco e ed a ea by explaining he a ious ways IT
use s can na iga e be ween p oblem- ocused s a egies,
emo ion- ocused s a egies, and app aisals. In con as o
wha many o he p io s udies’ models and simpli ied dia-
g ams imply, ou disco e y o he di e en ou es and coping
sequences shows ha coping is no a s aigh o wa d p ocess
o i s e alua ing an inciden and hen using jus one s a egy.
Ins ead, we ound ha coping ela es o many ou es and o en
occu s in sequences ha subsequen ly in ol e a mix o
p oblem- ocused and emo ion- ocused s a egies. Ou
indings hus ad ance knowledge on he complexi y o coping
in eal-li e si ua ions, na owing he gap be ween IT use
heo ies and he de ailed and some imes messy ways in which
IT is ac ually used in p ac ice (Bu on-Jones e al. 2017; O iz
de Guinea and Webs e 2013). This iew is suppo ed by
psychology esea che s (e.g., Folkman 2011; Laza us 1993;
Li e al. 2011) who ha e s a ed ha coping is mul i-
di ec ional, many indi iduals use mo e han a single s a egy
MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020 1161
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
Table 6. Coping S a egies Applied by Use s in Di e en Rounds
Coping S a egy
% and Numbe o
Use s Who Applied
he S a egy a Leas
Once (N=750)
Use s pe Coping Round # To al
Times
Applied1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Fixing he IT 28.9% (217) 138 68 20 7 1 0 0 234
Adjus ing own use o he IT 15.5% (116) 43 44 21 9 3 0 0 120
Res aining un il upda es 24.5% (184) 77 78 39 5 1 1 0 201
Swi ching he IT 35.2% (264) 130 88 41 11 2 0 0 272
Empa hizing wi h he IT p o ide 3.5% (26) 10 6 9 1 0 0 0 26
Downplaying he p oblem/IT 5.3% (40) 22 14 4 0 0 0 0 40
Blaming he IT/onesel 19.1% (143) 73 58 12 4 1 0 1 149
Online/o line en ing 41.6% (312) 257 43 13 2 0 0 0 315
To al numbe o use s pe ound 750 399 159 39 8 1 1
Table 7. The F equencies o Employed Coping Sequences
Sequence PF EF PF & EF To al
No sequence (single coping s a egy wi h closu e) 184 67 - 251 (33.5%)
No sequence (single coping s a egy wi hou closu e) 56 44 - 100 (13.3%)
Dual coping sequence wi h closu e 44 9 82 135 (18.0%)
Maladap i e dual coping sequence (wi hou closu e) 27 20 58 105 (14.0%)
P olonged coping sequence wi h closu e 5 - 71 76 (10.1%)
Maladap i e p olonged coping sequence (wi hou closu e) 13 - 70 83 (11.1%)
No es: PF = Use o only a p oblem- ocused s a egy (o s a egies); EF = Use o only an emo ion- ocused s a egy (o s a egies); PF & EF =
Use o bo h p oblem- ocused and emo ion- ocused s a egies. F equencies and pe cen ages a e ex ac ed om he Phase 3 da ase .
when esponding o a nega i e inciden , and indi iduals’
esponses can e lec complex mixes o s a egies and app ai-
sals. Acco dingly, we belie e ha his iew and he complex-
i y o employing mul iple coping s a egies should be applied
in IT use and coping esea ch. Mo eo e , ou model o e s
le e age o explo ing he linkages be ween use s’ coping and
IT- ela ed s ess (i.e., echnos ess) (Ta a da e al. 2019).
Ou indings p o ide inpu o dis inguishing e ec i e and
desi ed ou es in e ms o coping. While esolu ion by
p oblem- ocused s a egies can e iden ly be an e ec i e
ou e, emo ional a ionaliza ion can also be ega ded as a
use ul ou e o ecas ing an ini ially ele an and impac ul
inciden as no longe ele an and impac ul. Emo ional
a ionaliza ion seems o be pa icula ly sui able in he con ex
o mobile applica ion inciden s, which o en igge ins an
us a ion due o use s’ impa ien use, he inciden s’ ime-
c i icali y, and hei on- he-go na u e. Fu he mo e, we ound
ha many use s ansi ion om emo ion- ocused s a egies o
p oblem- ocused s a egies wi h in ense emo ions. While high
emo ional load did pai wi h emo ion- ocused s a egies, he
inding ha emo ional load con inues o be high o so many
use s when hey shi o p oblem- ocused s a egies can be
conside ed a he unexpec ed. Howe e , no being able o
soo he emo ions be o e aking ac ion can be p oblema ic— o
ins ance, es o a i e ac i i ies such as ixing he IT may no be
op imally conduc ed when expe iencing o e whelming nega-
i e emo ions (Folkman and Moskowi z 2004). In such cases,
i could be bene icial o ha e use s unload hei emo ional
load ins ead o employing p oblem- ocused s a egies wi h
high us a ion o ange . Ou s udy also p o ides insigh s
in o he dynamic and changing na u e o app aisals, a p e-
iously unmapped e i o y in IT coping and use esea ch.
Indeed, while mos p io s udies ha e ancho ed hei in es i-
ga ions on s a ic and s able app aisals o IT inciden s, ou
s udy p esen s no el indings abou how each inciden can
e lec mo e han one s a e o he same app aisal in a ela-
i ely sho ime, how he app aisals can change, and he ypes
o ou es h ough which he changes occu . To complemen
he me hods used in p io IT coping s udies, we also in oduce
a CIT-based echnique o collec ing sequen ial da a abou
use s’ coping p ocesses.
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Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
As he second con ibu ion, ou s udy indica es ha momen-
a y emo ional load is cen al o coping in he IT use con ex .
Ou indings ex end p io IS esea ch, which has p oposed
ha use s decide be ween po en ial coping s a egies based on
hei e alua ion o h ea and con idence (o sel -e icacy/
con ol) in a gi en si ua ion. Simul aneously, many p io
s udies ha e emphasized he ole o emo ions while em-
ploying he s a egies (e.g., by emo ion- ocused s a egies) bu
o e looked he c ucial ole o emo ions be o e selec ing a
coping s a egy. While emo ions and hei eme gence ha e
been iden i ied as cen al aspec s o coping (e.g., Be ge
2011; Boekae s 2002), ou s udy examines he ole o in en-
si e emo ions in bo h he ini ial selec ion o a coping s a egy
and he ecu si e in e play be ween coping s a egies and
( e)app aisals. As an implica ion, esea che s can e ine hei
heo e ical models by acknowledging he ole o emo ional
load p io o engaging (and e-engaging) in coping s a egies.
While a ew s udies ha e included some analysis o he
emo ions ela ed o he selec ion o coping s a egies, hey
ha e ocused only on speci ic ypes o emo ions, such as
ange e sus anxie y (Beaud y and Pinsonneaul 2010) o loss,
de e ence, achie emen , and mixed emo ions (S ein e al.
2015). In con as , ou indings indica e ha he in ensi y o
emo ions can be jus as impo an —o e en mo e impo an —
ega ding coping s a egy selec ion. As such, esea che s
could ask he c ucial ques ion, how in ense is he use ’s
emo ional load, ins ead o (o in addi ion o) asking ques ions
such as wha ypes o emo ions does he use eel? Ou s udy
p o ides complemen a y and somewha di e ing indings
compa ed o p io IT coping s udies: In many cases, igh
a e he use s’ highly us a ing IT inciden s, in ense momen-
a y emo ional load appea ed o blu he use s’ hinking
p ocess and led hem di ec ly o emo ion- ocused s a egies.
In hose cases, i was a he abou he in ensi y o emo ional
load han abou a ce ain ype o emo ion. This inding also
o e s a possible explana ion o he con adic o y indings
ela ed o con idence (o sel -e icacy/con ol) and coping
s a egy selec ion, as esea che s ha e deba ed whe he a
sense o high con idence o handle he si ua ion leads o
p oblem- ocused s a egies and low con idence o emo ion-
ocused s a egies (Folkman and Moskowi z 2004). While
high con idence pai ed wi h p oblem- ocused s a egies in ou
da a, he selec ion o emo ion- ocused s a egies e lec ed a
mix o high and low con idence. Indeed, e en use s wi h high
con idence (e.g., backed up by expe -le el IT skills) engaged
in emo ion- ocused coping. Ou da a indica e ha emo ional
load was he eason o his in many o hese cases. These
new insigh s we disco e ed open possibili ies o IS
esea che s o con inue “unpacking [ he] complexi y” o pos -
adop i e IT use in hei u u e esea ch endea o s (Bu on-
Jones e al. 2017).
As he hi d con ibu ion, ou s udy unco e s IT- and mobile-
speci ic cha ac e is ics ela ed o coping. Coping wi h IT
inciden s pa ially esembles coping wi h daily s esso s (e.g.,
a ic jams and in e pe sonal dispu es) bu di e s om
coping wi h majo li e e en s (e.g., di o ce, dea h, and unem-
ploymen ). In line wi h esea ch on daily s esso s, ou
knowledge on mobile applica ion use s’ de ailed coping
e o s anscends he s udies o majo li e e en s ha ocus on
he o e all pic u e o how people o e come majo agedies
(Almeida 2005; Neupe e al. 2016). While bo h IT inciden s
and daily s esso s end o e lec in ense momen a y emo ions
when daily ou ines a e dis u bed, he e a e ce ain IT- ela ed
cha ac e is ics ha dis inguish coping wi h IT om many
o he con ex s. Fi s , use s can o en modi y hei IT (e.g.,
mobile applica ions/de ices and ela ed ea u es) and he eby
ha e op ions o a a ie y o p oblem- ocused s a egies. Fo
example, de ailed se ings and pe sonaliza ion op ions p o ide
unique possibili ies o ixing he IT. As ano he example,
es aining un il so wa e upda es is no possible in non-
echnological con ex s. In addi ion, he IT con ex o en
o e s immedia e and easy op ions o swi ching (e.g., ia
applica ion ma ke places). Second, he echnically compli-
ca ed na u e o IT can make use s wi h low con idence engage
in sel -blame. Simul aneously, he complica ed na u e o IT
can inspi e some use s wi h high con idence o be abso bed in
he p oblem and ix i hemsel es. Thi d, mobile applica ions
o en p o ide ways o espond o he immedia e, eal- ime
demands ela ed o use s’ daily ac i i ies on- he-go. As such,
mobile applica ion inciden s end o be sho -li ed and sud-
den, which o en gene a es in ense emo ions (e.g., ange ) in
cases o se backs. Table 8 p esen s he main IT and mobile-
speci ic cha ac e is ics ela ed o he di e en coping
s a egies.
Addi ionally, ou indings sugges a dualis ic ole o IT in
coping: while IT use is ypically seen as he igge o nega-
i e inciden s, i can also unc ion as a emedial base o
o e coming he inciden s. Rega ding swi ching he IT, an
al e na i e IT can unc ion as an aid o esol e a coping si ua-
ion, especially in he o e c owded and compe i i e mobile
applica ion ma ke . P io li e a u e on swi ching echoes his
by highligh ing ha he use - ela ed swi ching cos s (e.g.,
sea ch, e alua ion, and ans e e o s) a e low o mode a e
in such ma ke s (Bha ache jee e al. 2012; Ray e al. 2012).
Rega ding es aining un il upda es, he e y same IT causing
he inciden s can unc ion as a sel -co ec ing ool o elimin-
a ing he p oblem. None heless, use s can also expe ience
u he disappoin men in cases whe e a hoped- o upda e
does no occu . These insigh s esona e wi h p e ious
esea ch emphasizing ha dynamic so wa e upda es a e in lu-
en ial in e ms o pos -adop i e use (Fleischmann e al. 2016).
MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020 1163
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
Table 8. The Main IT-Speci ic Cha ac e is ics o Each Coping S a egy
Coping S a egy Main Findings Rega ding IT- and Mobile-Speci ic Cha ac e is ics
Fixing he IT The co e ope a ional p inciples o IT ascina e and inspi e some use s o sel - ix he
p oblem.
Adjus ing own use o he IT Some use s belie e ha he IT p oduc s and se ices a e ypically designed o se e
la ge masses a he han o conside he unique needs o a single use .
Res aining un il upda es Use s a e, a imes, accus omed o he apid upda e cycles o he applica ions.
Swi ching he IT The sea ch engines and ela ed lis ings in applica ion ma ke places o e easy ways o
ind, compa e, and download nume ous al e na i es o low o no cos .
Empa hizing wi h he IT
p o ide
Use s belie e ha he applica ion p o ide s al eady ha e enough oubles in he complex
wo ld o IT p oduc s and se ices.
Downplaying he p oblem/IT IT ailu es may e oke use s’ desi es o become mo e independen om he IT.
Blaming he IT/onesel Wi h IT, i is o en di icul o ell whe he he ailu e is caused by he applica ion, he
de ice, he p o ide , o he use .
Online/o line en ing Use s a e accus omed o en ing abou IT, and online channels a e e icien o ai ing ou
emo ions.
Rega ding ixing he IT, he IT i sel can p o ide a pla o m
o inding a solu ion o he p oblem. In his way, ixing and
wo ka ounds can occu as eac i ely applied solu ions o
echnological igge inciden s ha obs uc daily ou ines
(Ne o e al. 2016). Howe e , i is no a e ha he complexi y
o he IT o i s se ings hwa s such emedy po en ial o
ixing he IT.
Implica ions o P ac ice
As he main p ac ical con ibu ion, his s udy’s indings p o-
mo e he chances o IT p o ide s eaching a success ul
eco e y a e nega i e inciden s. T adi ionally, he li e a u e
on p oduc o se ice eco e y has concen a ed on he ac i e
ole o he p o ide s in eac ing o ailu es. Howe e , coping
can o e use s an al e na i e way o eco e y. In ac , om
he p o ide s’ pe spec i e, his can o en be seen as a p e e -
able way—i success ul, use s a e ypically able o sol e he
p oblems in an au onomous manne , wi hou ac i e pa ici-
pa ion om he p o ide s’ side.
The eigh iden i ied coping s a egies can esul in di e en
consequences: Some s a egies ha e posi i e consequences
o bo h he p o ide s and he use s, whe eas o he s may also
ha e nega i e consequences o one o e en bo h o hem.
Table 9 p esen s ou e alua ion o he consequences ega ding
each s a egy. O he ou p oblem- ocused s a egies, ixing
he IT and adjus ing one’s own use o he IT a e s a egies ha
can ha e posi i e consequences o bo h he p o ide s and he
use s. In con as , swi ching he IT has nega i e consequences
o IT p o ide s, as i ypically esul s in cus ome chu n. Fo
he use s, i s alence depends on i hey can ind a be e al e -
na i e. Res aining un il upda es appea s o be complica ed,
as i can esul in ei he a solu ion o he p oblem o a ne e -
ending wai o an upda e ha will ne e come. O he ou
emo ion- ocused s a egies, empa hizing wi h he IT p o ide
has mainly posi i e consequences: The p o ide s a e o gi en
o some aul s, and he use s do no expec pe ec ion.
Downplaying he p oblem/IT can inc ease use s’ de achmen
om he IT in a heal hy way, bu i ends o esul in a
dec eased commi men om he p o ide s’ pe spec i e.
Finally, while blaming and en ing may empo a ily ease us-
a ion, hose s a egies can be conside ed o ha e mainly
nega i e consequences when hey u n in o umina ion.
IT p o ide s may use ou indings o in luence hei use s’
selec ion o coping s a egies by making some o hem mo e
easy o di icul o employ in compa ison o o he s. The
p oblem- ocused s a egies a e o en s aigh o wa d o
p o ide s o suppo . Fo example, p o ide s may aim o
p omo e use s’ sel - ixing ac i i ies by making he in o ma-
ion and he ools needed o de eloping he ixes mo e easily
a ailable as well as by es ablishing online communi ies in
which use s can discuss he ixes wi h hei pee s and/o
de elope s. In con as , he emo ion- ocused s a egies a e
ypically somewha mo e di icul o p o ide s o suppo due
o hei mo e pe sonal na u e, bu ways o do his can be
ound. Fo example, p o ide s may aim o make hemsel es
easie o empa hize wi h by c ea ing mo e in-dep h and in e -
pe sonal ela ionships wi h hei use s. This goal can be
achie ed h ough social media o o he channels ha a e able
o p omo e anspa ency and allow use s o communica e
mo e di ec ly wi h he p o ide s’ pe sonnel. Ano he example
1164 MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
Table 9. Poin -o -View E alua ion o he Coping S a egies
IT P o ide Use
P oblem- ocused s a egies
Fixing he IT
Adjus ing own use o he IT
Res aining un il upda es
Swi ching he IT
+
+
+ / –
–
+
+ / –
+ / –
+ / –
Emo ion- ocused s a egies
Empa hizing wi h he IT p o ide
Downplaying he p oblem/IT
Blaming he IT/onesel
Online/o line en ing
+
–
–
–
+
+ / –
–
–
No es: In ou e alua ion, “+” e e s o he endency o po en ial posi i e consequences ela ed o a coping s a egy, while “–” e e s o he
endency o po en ial nega i e consequences ela ed o a coping s a egy.
conce ns online o o line en ing, which can p esen se ious
business isks o p o ide s, as i has he po en ial o escala e
in o nega i e wo d-o -mou h. One way o manage his isk is
o o e use s dedica ed en ing o ums in which he p o ide s
a e able o add ess use s’ ou bu s s, ins ead o s o ies being
sha ed h ough social media wi hou con ol o eedback om
he p o ide s. Such add essing may mi iga e he ou bu s s o
e en esul in posi i e wo d-o -mou h, i use s a e able o see
ha p o ide s a e aking hei wo ies se iously.
Limi a ions and Fu u e Topics
The e a e some limi a ions and bounda y condi ions ela ed o
his s udy. Fi s , ou app oach o collec ing da a a e he
nega i e expe iences occu ed may be subjec o some ecall
issues (Folkman and Moskowi z 2004). To o e come his, we
ancho ed ou ques ions in inciden s ha ac ually happened,
ins uc ed he pa icipan s o ake he ime o p ope ly
emembe he pas e en s, and collec ed a la ge amoun o
da a. We also conside ed ha he selec ed app oach was mo e
sui able o his s udy han wo al e na i e app oaches: Using
a hypo he ical scena io o a nega i e inciden could su e
om he misma ch o wha people say hey would do in a ce -
ain si ua ion and wha hey would ac ually do ( an de
Heijden 2012). Using a labo a o y expe imen is associa ed
wi h limi a ions ela ed o ex e nal moni o ing, a i icial
se ings, and lack o anonymi y. As use s end o beha e
impulsi ely wi h mobile applica ions (Appdynamics 2017),
hese limi a ions could ha e esul ed in less impulsi e eac-
ions. Second, i may be impossible o iden i y exclusi e
pa hs ha pe ec ly de e mine human beha io . Al hough we
we e able o iden i y cen al app aisal condi ions, ou es, and
coping sequences, he e may be mo e. Thi d, using yes/no
answe op ions o e alua ing app aisals is pa simonious and
hus esul s in ce ain limi a ions. The e o e, esea che s
could conside mo e de ailed answe op ions/scales om he
pe spec i e o hei esea ch aims. Fou h, while he model
and i s key concep s (i.e., momen a y emo ional load, ou es,
and coping sequences) can also be applied in o he IT con-
ex s, he e a e aspec s ha should be ca e ully e alua ed
when in e p e ing he de ailed indings ha may no be ully
gene alizable. Fo example, he mobile applica ion con ex
highligh s in ense emo ions, apid upda es, and a ailabili y o
al e na i es, which may play a less signi ican ole wi h o he
ypes o IT. Simila ly, ou indings e lec olun a ily used IT
and may no be ully applicable o manda o y use (e.g.,
o ganiza ional sys ems). Fo ins ance, he use o such IT ha
has no al e na i es may e lec e en longe coping sequences.
Fi h, ou s udy ocused on highly nega i e inciden s ins ead
o o dina y inciden s, which is a ypical limi a ion o CIT
(G emle 2004). Six h, ou indings e lec U.S. and Finnish
mobile applica ion use s. The e may be cul u al di e ences
ega ding coping beha io s. Finally, ou s udy is subjec o
ce ain bounda y condi ions de i ing om he heo y o
coping and ela ed li e a u e (e.g., Laza us 1993): The
indings assume ha coping is ini ially shaped by app aisals
(bu may a e wa d p oceed be ween he app aisals and coping
s a egies in a ious o de s) and ha use s’ esponses a e no
necessa ily a ional.
Ou indings open up possibili ies o u u e esea ch. Fi s ,
ou da a imply ha use s also engage in coping e o s be o e-
hand o p e en po en ial nega i e inciden s in he u u e.
Thus, he concep o an icipa o y coping (see Ha ison and
Bea y 2011; Neupe e al. 2016; Newby-Cla k 2004) is an
in e es ing a ea o u u e s udies on IT use. Second, using
o he me hodological app oaches could add o he insigh s
ound in his s udy. One po en ial app oach is he expe ience
sampling me hod, which is a way o eques ha pa icipan s
epo hei immedia e o e y ecen expe iences epea edly
du ing a ime pe iod (Fishe and To 2012). The me hod is
MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020 1165
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
use ul o ocusing on eal- ime expe iences and minimizing
ecall bias (D’A cy and Low y 2019). Also, while a i icial
se ings may hinde he elici a ion o na u al emo ional
esponses, esea che s could use labo a o y expe imen s o
manipula e speci ic inciden s and hen obse e use s’ coping
e o s in eal ime. Thi d, we p o ided ini ial indings abou
indi idual and con ex ual cha ac e is ics in ela ion o IT
coping. Fu u e esea ch could acqui e mo e de ails abou how
coping is in luenced by indi idual habi s and cha ac e is ics
(e.g., pe sonali y and s ess ole ance) and si ua ional con ex
(e.g., use en i onmen , ongoing ac i i y, and social con ex ).
Fo ins ance, i would be aluable o unde s and whe he use s
can o e ide p e ious coping habi s wi h new ones (e.g.,
lea ning a new, po en ially be e coping s a egy). Fou h, o
ex end esea ch on echnos ess (e.g., Ayyaga i e al. 2011;
Pi kkalainen e al. 2019; Ragu-Na han e al. 2008; Salo e al.
2019), esea che s could in es iga e how single nega i e inci-
den s wi h IT may become epe i i e and c ea e con inuous
s ess o hei use s.
Acknowledgmen s
We would like o hank Lau i Hilliaho and Kinna Tasala o hei
help as well as he senio edi o , he associa e edi o , and he h ee
anonymous e iewe s o hei excellen and cons uc i e commen s.
We also hank Kalle Lyy inen and Ola Hen idsson o hei aluable
semina eedback. This s udy was pa ially suppo ed by he
Academy o Finland and Business Finland.
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1166 MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
[Ini ial coping s a egy ques ions:]
Please check all he ac i i ies ha you did (o ied o do) as a esul o he ailu e. Take you ime and hink ca e ully.
[In andomized o de :]
• Swi ching o an al e na i e applica ion o ano he al e na i e
• Wai ing o an upda e ha will help o o e come he ailu e
• Fixing he ailu e by changing he se ings, h ough a wo ka ound o o he wise
• Downplaying he ailu e o he ole o he applica ion
• Ai ing ou eelings, g umbling o cu sing (alone o wi h o he s)
• Empa hizing wi h he applica ion p o ide and accep ing he ailu e
• Blaming you sel o he echnology o he ailu e
• Adjus ing you use ou ines in o de o adap o he ailu e
[Ques ions abou second ound o app aisals and coping s a egies:]
On he p e ious page, you in o med ha you did (o ied o do) he ollowing ac i i ies as a esul o he ailu e:
[Exempla scena io:]
• Ai ing ou eelings, g umbling o cu sing (alone o wi h o he s)
• Fixing he ailu e by changing he se ings, h ough a wo ka ound o o he wise
• Downplaying he ailu e o he ole o he applica ion
Which o he a o emen ioned ac i i ies did you do (o y o do) i s ?
[Exempla scena io:]
• Ai ing ou eelings, g umbling o cu sing
• Fixing he ailu e by changing he se ings, h ough a wo ka ound o o he wise
• Downplaying he ailu e o he ole o he applica ion
• I did no do (o y o do) any u he ac i i ies [A ailable om he second ound on]
[Ques ionnai e con inues un il he esponden chooses he op ion “I did no do (o y o do) any u he ac i i ies” o epo s ha he inciden
was no longe ele an .]
[Ph asing is dependen on he selec ed s a egy in he p e ious ques ion:]
Please b ie ly desc ibe why you did (o ied o do) his ac i i y (i.e., ai ing ou eelings, g umbling o cu sing).
[Open ques ion]
[Ph asing is dependen on he selec ed s a egy and esponses on he p e ious page:]
My choice o doing (o ying o do) his ac i i y (i.e., ai ing ou eelings, g umbling o cu sing) …
• was in luenced mo e by my in ense nega i e emo ions (i.e., us a ion, ange , anxie y, wo y, o some hing simila ).
• was in luenced mo e by my con idence ha I could o e come he ailu e.
[Ph asing is dependen on he selec ed s a egy and he esponses on he p e ious page:]
Righ a e his ac i i y (i.e., ai ing ou eelings, g umbling o cu sing) …
• he ailu e emained ele an o me (i.e., impac ul o immedia e).
• he ailu e was no anymo e ele an o me (i.e., nei he impac ul no immedia e).
[Ph asing is dependen on he selec ed s a egy:]
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Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
Righ a e his ac i i y (i.e., ai ing ou eelings, g umbling o cu sing) …
• I el in ense nega i e emo ions (i.e., us a ion, ange , anxie y, wo y, o some hing simila ).
• I did no eel in ense nega i e emo ions (i.e., us a ion, ange , anxie y, wo y, o some hing simila ).
[Ph asing is dependen on he selec ed s a egy and he esponses on he p e ious page:]
Righ a e his ac i i y (i.e., ai ing ou eelings, g umbling o cu sing) …
• I emained con iden ha I could o e come he ailu e.
• I was no anymo e con iden ha I could o e come he ailu e.
[I answe ed “I did no do (o y o do) any u he ac i i ies” o epo ed ha he inciden was no longe ele an :]
Please b ie ly desc ibe you inal hough s and eelings abou he ailu e expe ience.
[Open ques ion]
Appendix D
Exempla Chain o E idence (Maladap i e P olonged Coping Sequence)
In e iewee and
Nega i e
Inciden (s) App aisal
Fi s Round
Coping S a egy
and Rou e
Second Round
Coping S a egy
and Rou e
Thi d Round
Coping S a egy
and Rou e
Fou h Round
Coping S a egy
In e iewee #18
- Wa ching ideos
wi h a mobile
applica ion ha
leads o ailu es:
“Sub i les o ideos
coupled wi h [ he
de aul applica ion o
a ce ain
sma phone model],
i ’s a ‘no-go’ since
no sub i les wo k
wi h [ he applica-
ion].”
Pe sonal ele ance
(high): “I had he
need o wa ch, oh,
TV se ies and
mo ies.” [Wa ching
ideos emained a
p io i y h oughou
he na a i e.]
Momen a y
emo ional load:
[No e e ences o
emo ional load.*]
Con idence o
o e coming he IT
inciden (high): “I
hink I’m mo e han
a e age [in o IT and
applica ions]. Due
o my hobbies,
backg ound, and my
wo k ci cles. Mo e
han a e age I’d
say.”
[This iew emained
h oughou he
na a i e.]
Swi ching he IT:
“So I had he need
o make [ he sub-
i les] wo k wi h
some applica ion.
Fo some ime, I
was b owsing pos-
sible al e na i e
applica ions, and I
ound his [pa icula
applica ion].”
Rou e 2 –
Repea ing
p oblem- ocused
coping: “The
sub i les we e
indeed wo king, bu
[ he al e na i e
applica ion] was
e e y so o en eally
slow and p one o
c ashes. And i
couldn’ play la ge
iles. So, in p ac-
ice, iewing ideos
didn’ wo k wi h [ he
al e na i e applica-
ion] ei he .”
Res aining un il
upda es:
“[Wi h he al e na i e
applica ion] I i s
hough o igu e ou
whe he he e we e
some ips o
esol ing he
c ashes… The e
was some [online]
discussion abou
expec a ions ha he
applica ion would be
upda ed and
ec i ied a some
poin .”
Rou e 2 –
Repea ing
p oblem- ocused
coping: “Bu no, i
didn’ seem [ o be
upda ed].”
Swi ching he IT:
“Then I was looking
o [ye ano he ]
al e na i e and
ound [a ce ain
applica ion]. I was
made by an open-
sou ce ounda ion…
They had his
[c owd unding
campaign] so ha
hey also planned o
con e he
applica ion o [my
sma phone’s
ope a ing sys em],
and I kep wai ing o
i . I was supposed
o be eleased by
he new yea .”
Rou e 2 –
Repea ing
p oblem- ocused
coping: “Bu i
hasn’ been e-
leased o da e [long
a e he supposed
elease da e].”
Swi ching he IT:
“Then I was
b owsing hose
[o he al e na i e]
applica ions, bu
he e we e jus
plen y o hose, uh,
cheap copies ha
p omise a ce ain
unc ionali y.”
[Remaining wi hou
closu e:] “I could
al eady see om he
[ma ke place’s]
e iews ha he [ap-
plica ions] we e jus
ools o cashing in
on people… So ha
ai ly e icien ly pu a
s op o my will o
look o al e na i e
applica ions
anymo e…
[Ques ion:] Ha e
you ound a
subs i u e applica-
ion ye ? [Answe :]
No, I ha en’ ound
one.”
*Howe e , we canno ule ou possible emo ional load o emo ion- ocused s a egies ha would ha e made his coping sequence e en longe .
1174 MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020
Salo e al./In e play o IT Use s’ Coping S a egies
Appendix E
Phase 3: All Rou es
The F equencies o Employed Coping Rou es
Rela i e F equency
Rou es om Emo ion P oblem-Focused Coping S a egies
R1 Resolu ion (PF ö PR om high o low) 57.2% (368)
R2 Repea ing PF (PF ö PF, no changes in app aisals) 18.2% (117)
R3 Emo ion unloading (PF ö MEL om high o low) 10.0% (64)
Al e na i e R3 Emo ion loading (PF ö MEL om low o high) 1.6% (10)
R4 Dec easing con idence (PF ö C om high o low) 3.6% (23)
Al e na i e R4 Inc easing con idence (PF ö C om low o high) 2.5% (16)
R5 PF-EF ansi ion (PF ö EF, no changes in app aisals) 7.0% (45)
Rou es om Emo ion-Focused Coping S a egies
R6 Emo ional a ionaliza ion (EF ö PR om high o low) 22.1% (94)
R7 Emo ion unloading (EF ö MEL om high o low) 12.7% (54)
Al e na i e R7 Emo ion loading (EF ö MEL om low o high) 1.6% (7)
R8 Repea ing EF (EF ö EF, no changes in app aisals) 14.8% (63)
R9 EF-PF ansi ion (EF ö PF, no changes in app aisals) 39.4% (168)
R10 Dec easing con idence (EF ö C om high o low) 4.9% (21)
Al e na i e R10 Inc easing con idence (EF ö C om low o high) 4.5% (19)
No es: PF = P oblem- ocused s a egy; EF = Emo ion- ocused s a egy; PR = Pe sonal ele ance; MEL = Momen a y emo ional
load; C = Con idence o o e coming he IT inciden . F equencies and pe cen ages a e ex ac ed om he Phase 3 da ase .
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1176 MIS Qua e ly Vol. 44 No. 3/Sep embe 2020