Information overload in digital environments: a systematic review of conceptualizations, antecedents and behavioral consequences

Purpose This study aims to provide an integrative understanding of information overload (IO) in digital environments by examining how the construct has been conceptualized, what antecedents drive it across levels of analysis, which behavioral consequences emerge, and what theoretical and methodological gaps remain in the literature. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted following PRISMA guidelines using the Web of Science Core Collection. The final sample consists of 146 peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2025. The study combines qualitative synthesis with bibliometric analysis and applies the Theory–Context–Characteristics–Methodology (TCCM) framework to organize findings across theoretical, empirical, and methodological dimensions. Findings The results show that IO is not a single construct but a multi-level phenomenon encompassing cognitive limitations, affective responses, and structural features of digital environments. Antecedents operate across individual, platform, and systemic levels, although the literature is heavily biased toward user-centered explanations. Behavioral consequences are predominantly negative, such as avoidance, discontinuance, and impaired decision-making, but are also context-dependent, with evidence of heuristic adaptation and, in some cases, pro-social responses. Methodologically, the field is dominated by cross-sectional quantitative designs, limiting causal and dynamic understanding. Originality/value This study advances the literature by integrating fragmented streams of IO research into a coherent multi-level framework. It moves beyond descriptive synthesis by clarifying conceptual boundaries, identifying analytical imbalances, and positioning IO as a dynamic process embedded in socio-technical systems. The findings provide a foundation for future research to develop more theoretically integrated and methodologically diverse approaches to IO in digital environments.