G5 Doctoral dissertation (article)
A multi-theoretical perspective on conceptualization and contextualization of IS security behavior (2022)
Moniteoreettinen näkökulma tietoturvakäyttäytymisen käsitteellistämiseen ja kontekstualisointiin

Xie, Y. (2022). A multi-theoretical perspective on conceptualization and contextualization of IS security behavior [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Jyväskylä. JYU Dissertations, 534. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-39-9317-7

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Xie, Yitian

eISBN: 978-951-39-9317-7

Journal or series: JYU Dissertations

eISSN: 2489-9003

Publication year: 2022

Number in series: 534

Number of pages in the book: 1 verkkoaineisto (49, 10 sivua, 3 numeroimatonta sivua)

Publisher: University of Jyväskylä

Place of Publication: Jyväskylä

Publication country: Finland

Publication language: English

Persistent website address: http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-39-9317-7

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Abstract

The Internet has connected almost everything in our daily life, making information systems security (ISec) an important issue not only to organizations but also to personal users. Despite the increasing number of users of Internet-connected IT, there is insufficient research into how users make their ISec-related decisions (i.e., the cognitive appraisals), their decision-making process under the influence of emotion (i.e., the emotional motivation), user characteristics (e.g., user involvement, years of use), or whether they have enough ISec knowledge to make the right decision to secure their information and computing environment (i.e., the knowledge level). This dissertation contributes to bridging these research gaps by focusing on three studies that explore the security-related decision-making process among personal users. By using novel theoretical perspectives and revisiting some of the “old” theoretical assumptions, we offer insights of value to both academics and practitioners. Three studies are tested and reported that provide insights into the cognitive appraisals, emotional motivation, user characteristics, and ISec knowledge of personal users’ decision-making process regarding security-related behavior. By considering additional theories and constructs and revisiting the theoretical and methodology perspectives, this dissertation provides several contributions to behavioral ISec studies. The results of the empirical study provide new insights into the cognitive mediation process, the decision-making process under the influence of defensive avoidance, and personal users’ self-regulated ability to protect their personal computing devices.

Keywords: data security; users; decision making; cognition; emotions; contextuality; doctoral dissertations

Free keywords: cognitive mediation; defensive avoidance; information security knowledge; threat appeals; boundary condition; conceptualization; instrument development

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2022