Self-disclosure on social networks: More than a rational decision-making process

Although consequences of sharing personal information can be negative and severe (e.g., identity theft), individuals still engage in extensive self-disclosures on social networks. One commonly applied explanatory approach is the privacy calculus. Following this, conceptualized as rational choices resulting from a weighing risks benefits. However, this view misses additional impulsive nature decisions. The current study therefore takes lens dual-process theories highlights that self-disclosure decisions also guided by an system. To test for impact descriptive norms, warning message, privacy-related decision-making styles, perceived benefits individuals’ decisions, fictitious network “AHOY!” was created. It enabled measurement participants’ (N = 551; Mage 40.77, SDage 13.93) actual two decision stages: 1) whether or not post created, 2) how much (on psychological informational dimension) provided. Further, norms (i.e., extent other users’ self-disclosures) presence/absence message were varied. remaining factors measured using questionnaires. results imply cognitive affective processes (expected to triggered investigated factors) are involved differently stages. While both reflective system may first stage, with potentially taking predominant role, when deciding disclose. This importance exceeding common assumptions rationality better understand support