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Research on University Students’ Information Security Behavior: The Moderating Effect of Disciplinary Background

  • Jingtong Xu
  • , Nan Zhang*
  • *Corresponding author for this work
  • Harbin Institute of Technology

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

While social networking sites (SNSs) provide university students with more diverse channels for information transfer, they also pose certain risks to their personal information security. Previous studies suggested that users’ information security behavior is an effective way to prevent information security risks. Based on Technology Threat Avoidance Theory (TTAT), this study constructs a model to explore the influencing factors of information security behaviors of university students in SNSs. Specifically, this study focuses on the moderating effect of disciplinary background in the proposed model. An empirical study was conducted to verify the model. Consistent to the previous literature, the results show that self-efficacy and response efficacy have positive effects on perceived avoidability; perceived threat and perceived avoidability have positive effect on information security behavior. Further, disciplinary backgrounds moderate the relationship between perceived threat and perceived avoidability on information security behavior. Specifically, perceived threat motivates students in soft disciplines to take information security behaviors more than it motivates students in hard disciplines, while perceived avoidability motivates students in hard disciplines to take information security behaviors more than it motivates students in soft disciplines. Based on this, we put forward the information security protection countermeasures.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationE-Business. New Challenges and Opportunities for Digital-Enabled Intelligent Future - 23rd Wuhan International Conference, WHICEB 2024, Proceedings
EditorsYiliu Paul Tu, Maomao Chi
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages382-395
Number of pages14
ISBN (Print)9783031603266
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024
Event23rd Wuhan International Conference on E-business, WHICEB 2024 - Wuhan, China
Duration: 24 May 202426 May 2024

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Business Information Processing
Volume517 LNBIP
ISSN (Print)1865-1348
ISSN (Electronic)1865-1356

Conference

Conference23rd Wuhan International Conference on E-business, WHICEB 2024
Country/TerritoryChina
CityWuhan
Period24/05/2426/05/24

Keywords

  • Disciplinary Background
  • Information Security Behavior
  • Social Networking Site
  • Technology Threat Avoidance Theory

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