Don’t Be Frustrated, Be Curious: The Role of Daily Information Gaps at Work

We integrate the information gap theory of specific curiosity with the challenge-hindrance-stressor framework to argue that work-related information gaps act as a double-edged sword by eliciting both specific curiosity as well as frustration in employees. We further consider employees' information gap-related self-efficacy as a moderator that influences whether information gaps are perceived as a challenge that compounds curiosity or a hindrance that feeds frustration. We largely find support for our hypothesized model across two diary studies. In Study 1 (74 full-time employees, 270 data points), we validated a work-related information gap scale and demonstrated a positive relationship with employees' specific curiosity. In Study 2 (107 full-time employees, 719 data points), information gaps were positively associated with specific curiosity and frustration, which in turn had differential effects on work engagement. Information gap-related self-efficacy buffered the negative relationship between information gaps and frustration but had no impact on specific curiosity.