Employees’ Information Security Awareness in Relation to the Big-Five Personality Traits
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2022-07-03
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en
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Abstract
This study investigated the items of a company’s questionnaire measuring information
security awareness based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB). The items investigated
were attitude, norm, control, intention, knowledge, constraints, and behavior of employees in
the context of information security (IS). Also, a possible moderating effect of
conscientiousness and agreeableness on the intention-behavior relationship was investigated.
In an online questionnaire 1055 employees of one of the company’s clients working in the
digital and network field participated. They were asked about their attitude, norm, control,
intention, knowledge, constraints, and behavior in relation to IS topics and how they score
themselves on the Big-Five personality traits. Based on previous research it was hypothesized
that (a) the items load on the seven factors of attitude, norm, control, intention, knowledge,
constraints, and behavior (b) conscientiousness is related to a stronger intention-behavior
relationship, and (c) agreeableness is related to a stronger intention-behavior relationship. All
hypotheses were rejected. It is concluded that the items load on the eight factors attitude,
norm, phishing, reporting incidents, physical security, passwords, constraints, and digital
competence. Conscientiousness is associated with IS behavior and agreeableness is related to
a weaker intention-behavior relationship. The results show the importance of randomizing
items in a questionnaire, the importance of a more extensive Big-Five measurement, and that
the conditions of the TPB are met. Since conscientiousness is significantly associated with
behavior it is suggested to bring out this trait more in the information security context.
Keywords: information security awareness, theory of planned behavior, agreeableness,
conscientiousness, Big-Five
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Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen