Identity Work in Ethical Gray Zones: How Professional Identity Shapes Emotional Decision-Making in Boundary-Spanning Digital Work

This study examines how professionals in boundary-spanning digital roles construct and maintain coherent professional identities while navigating ethically ambiguous situations. Drawing on a mixed-methods study combining interviews (n=47), experience sampling (n=32), and vignette experiments (n=128) with AI ethics specialists, content moderators, and platform governance professionals, I identify three identity orientation strategies—anchoring, hybridizing, and pioneering—that significantly influence emotional regulation and ethical decision-making. Findings reveal that effective ethical navigation in "gray zones" depends on emotional sophistication: integrating emotional responses as valuable information within ethical deliberation. The proposed model of "ethical identity work" conceptualizes professional identity construction as an ongoing accomplishment requiring integration of professional self-concept, emotional intelligence, and contextual ethical reasoning. This research contributes theoretical insights at the intersection of professional identity, emotional regulation, and ethical decision-making while offering practical implications for organizations supporting professionals in emerging digital roles.