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Emotional Experiences of Cybersecurity Breach Victims
Sanja Budimir1,2, Johnny R J Fontaine1, Etienne B Roesch3
1Department of Work, Organisation and Society, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking
|June 29, 2021
Summary
Cybersecurity breaches trigger diverse emotional responses. A new instrument reveals three key dimensions of these reactions, helping identify individuals vulnerable to psychological distress from cyber incidents.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cybersecurity
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Cybersecurity breaches present significant technical challenges.
- These breaches also have profound psychological impacts on individuals.
- Understanding emotional responses is crucial for mitigating harm.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate emotional reactions to cybersecurity breaches.
- To develop and validate a context-specific instrument for assessing these emotions.
- To identify distinct dimensions of emotional responses to cyber incidents.
Main Methods:
- Developed a new instrument based on the componential emotion approach.
- Collected data from 145 participants who experienced a cybersecurity breach.
- Utilized principal component analysis to analyze 75 emotion-related reactions.
Main Results:
- Identified a three-dimensional structure of emotional reactions.
- Dimension 1: General emotional impact.
- Dimension 2: Constructive vs. unconstructive action tendencies and expressions.
- Dimension 3: Cognitive-motivational vs. affective reactions.
Conclusions:
- Cybersecurity breaches have significant psychological ramifications beyond technical issues.
- Emotional responses vary, with some individuals exhibiting constructive coping and others experiencing severe distress.
- The new instrument effectively assesses emotional reactions to cybersecurity threats, aiding in identifying at-risk individuals.
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