ICT, hyperconnectivity and digital domestication

Toward a critical theory of work-family boundaries

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23882/rmd.26325

Keywords:

Hyperconnectivity, work-family, ICT, digital domestication

Abstract

This paper develops a critical theoretical framework to examine the erosion of work-family boundaries in digitally hyperconnected contexts mediated by Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Drawing on the concept of digital domestication, it analyzes how workers incorporate and reinterpret ICTs in everyday routines, normalizing constant availability as an organizational expectation. The literature review identifies technoference, symbolic surveillance, and moralized self-management of time as mechanisms associated with negative impacts on psychosocial well-being and recovery processes. The study proposes a conceptual agenda that challenges functionalist assumptions and critically rethinks organizational practices in hybrid work environments.

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Published

2026-06-04

How to Cite

Felix Loureiro, A. (2026). ICT, hyperconnectivity and digital domestication: Toward a critical theory of work-family boundaries. [RMd] RevistaMultidisciplinar, 8(1), 131–150. https://doi.org/10.23882/rmd.26325