Masters Theses

Keywords and Phrases

Cybersecurity; Gain; Loss; Monetary Value; Prospect Theory

Abstract

"This research examines the impact of probable and guaranteed monetary gains and losses on users' cybersecurity behavior. It also examines perceptual outcomes such as threat severity, trust, and fear that are associated with users' cybersecurity behavior. Drawing on Prospect Theory in the behavioral economics and decision-making literature, hypotheses were generated for the research. The hypotheses state that: (i) users are more willing to engage in risky computer security behavior to avoid a loss than to receive a gain, (ii) users exhibit a higher tipping point of expected monetary value to receive a gain than to avoid a loss for engaging in risky computer security behavior, (iii) users are more willing to engage in risky computer security behavior to avoid a guaranteed loss than a probable loss, controlling for the amount of expected loss, (iv) users are more willing to engage in risky computer security behavior to receive a guaranteed gain than a probable gain, controlling for the amount of expected gain, and (v) users exhibit a higher tipping point of expected monetary value to engage in risky computer security behavior when presented with a probable gain (or loss) as compared to a guaranteed gain (or loss). A 2 x 2 between subjects experimental design was used to test the hypotheses. The findings indicate that there is no difference in users' risky computer security behavior between receiving a gain and avoiding a loss. However, users exhibit a higher tipping point of expected monetary value for probable gains and losses than guaranteed gains and losses"--Abstract, page iii.

Advisor(s)

Nah, Fiona Fui-Hoon, 1966-

Committee Member(s)

Siau, Keng, 1964-
Hall, Richard H.

Department(s)

Business and Information Technology

Degree Name

M.S. in Information Science and Technology

Sponsor(s)

U.S. National Science Foundation

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Summer 2018

Pagination

x, 92 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 86-91).

Rights

© 2018 Santhosh Kumar Ravindran, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 11395

Electronic OCLC #

1051223040

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