Emotional Reactions to Cybersecurity Breach Situations: Scenario-Based Survey Study

Background With the ever-expanding interconnectedness of internet and especially with recent development Internet Things, people are increasingly at risk for cybersecurity breaches that can have far-reaching consequences their personal professional lives, psychological mental health ramifications. Objective We aimed to identify dimensional structure emotion processes triggered by one most emblematic scenarios breach, hacking one’s smart security camera, explore which personality characteristics systematically relate these dimensions. Methods A total 902 participants from United Kingdom Netherlands reported a breach scenario. Moreover, they on Big Five traits, as well key indicators resilient, overcontrolling (internalizing problems), undercontrolling (aggression) types. Results Principal component analyses revealed clear 3-dimensional processes: emotional intensity, proactive versus fight/flight reactions, affective cognitive/motivational reactions. Regression more internalizing problems (β=.33, P<.001), resilience (β=.22, agreeableness (β=.12, P<.001) less stability (β=–.25, significant predictive value higher intensity. More (β=.26, aggression (β=.25, extraversion (β=.07, P=.01) (β=–.19, (β=–.34, consciousness openness (β=–.22, comparatively than Less (β=–.32, (β=.14, (β=.13, salience Conclusions To adequately describe two dimensions needed over above general negative affectivity dimension. This multidimensional is further supported differential relationships characteristics. The discovered could be used consistent predictions about who develop long-term well-being issues due experience.