Abstract: Compared with the abstract judgment of the algorithmic autonomy paradox, the impact of time oppression on gig workers may be more intuitive and stronger, but previous studies have failed to incorporate it into the research framework explicitly. Based on life history theory, we innovatively proposed the nature of the time dilemma of algorithmic control and further explored the question of “How does algorithmic control become a time dilemma, and how can gig workers escape from the time dilemma?”
In Study 1, we developed a two-stage time lag survey of 522 gig workers. The participants were randomly sampled from a large-scale gig worker HRM service platform enterprise in South China, which employed gig workers for major express delivery and takeaway enterprises. At Time 1, gig workers reported their perceived algorithmic control, occupational future time perspective, gig industry type, and other control variable data. At Time 2, gig workers reported their proactive customer service performance and role breadth.
In Study 2, we divided the experiment into three parts. In the first part, participants from express delivery enterprises and takeaway or instant delivery enterprises completed the measure of occupational future time perspective. In the second part, participants were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions: the perceived algorithmic control condition, where they read an article discussing algorithmic control, and the control condition, where they read a work culture article unrelated to algorithmic control. In the third part, participants answered questions about role breadth and other control variable data.
Firstly, we found that perceived algorithmic control, as a temporal dilemma, could limit the role breadth of gig workers in the immediate space. Second, occupational future time perspective, as an abstract cognitive process of unconsciously constructing the future in occupational contexts, was associated with specific social goals. Occupational future time perspective strongly motivated gig workers to transcend the immediate temporal space and break free from the temporal dilemma, which constituted the subjective temporal boundary of the effect of perceived algorithmic control on role breadth. Specifically, occupational future time perspective mitigated the negative relationship between perceived algorithmic control and role breadth. Third, perceived algorithmic control negatively and indirectly affected proactive customer service performance through role breadth. This negative indirect effect was moderated by occupational future time perspective. Finally, we found a moderating effect of gig industry type on occupational future time perspective.
This study has the following theoretical contributions. Firstly, by innovatively incorporating life history theory from temporal psychology, we have unveiled the nature of the temporal dilemma posed by algorithmic control and its constraints on role breadth and proactive customer service performance. This analysis sheds light on the antecedents of the autonomy paradox. Secondly, by examining the influence of gig workers' occupational future time perspective on the temporal dilemma, we contribute to our understanding of whether and how subjective temporal frames can assist gig workers in escaping the constraints of algorithmic control. Thirdly, this study broadens the application and context of life history theory, extending it into the technological environment.

Key words: perceived algorithmic control, time dilemma, role breadth, proactive customer service performance, occupational future time perspective