Appraising Digital Danger: Examining Alignment Between Emotive Fear and Perceived Risk of Cybervictimization

• In Event: The Role of Technology in Perceptions of Crime and Victimization Risk

Abstract

Research shows that the prevalence of cybervictimization is steadily increasing, and that the human factor remains a significant determinant of online victimization experiences. Fear and perceived risk are key constructs in determining individuals' behavior and the preventative efforts they implement, thus making their confluence crucial to understand. In this paper, we examine the relative differences between individuals' emotive fear and perceived risk of cybervictimization to explain misalignment in their overall threat appraisals. We explore a theory that might account for (1) the sources of variation in the extent of threat reactions, and (2) imbalances between cognitive perceptions of risk and emotional worry. Our method employs an item response theory (IRT) approach to measurement in a multilevel regression framework (Osgood & Schreck, 2007) using a national sample of 1,500 adults from the United States. Results show that while fear and risk align for many respondents for some types of crime, there is evidence of misalignment that suggests key insights into how individuals appraise their own safety in digital space.

Authors

• Rachel L. McNealey, Michigan State University

• Pamela Wilcox, Pennsylvania State University

• Christopher Schreck, Rochester Institute of Technology