Cognitive Decision Making, Situational Awareness and Cyber Security Behaviors in a Cross-National Context: Evidence from Israel and the United States

• In Event: Online and Offline Criminogenic Factors that shape Computer User’s Susceptibility to Cybercrime Victimization

Abstract

Although criminological research has investigated digital guardianship (e.g., cyber security behaviors) as a predictor of cybercrime victimization, so far, very few studies have examined predictors of use of such behaviors, and none has done it in a cross-national context. Using survey data collected from undergraduate students in two universities in the United States and Israel, this study evaluates effects of cognitive decision making (i.e., thoughtfully reflective decision making) on cyber security behaviors, and whether they are invariant across two cross-national research sites. It also explores whether situational awareness conditions the relationship between thoughtfully reflective decision making and cyber security behaviors in the Israeli sample. The results provide support for the hypotheses showing significant associations between thoughtfully reflective decision making and cyber security behaviors and amplifying conditional effects of situational awareness on it. Overall, the findings confirm the importance of utilizing a cross-national approach to cybersecurity and suggest avenues for improving individual cyber security behaviors.

Authors

• Olena Antonaccio, University of Miami

• Eric Louderback, University of Miami

• David Maimon, University of Maryland

• Tamar Berenblum, The Hebrew University