A personality-based behavioural model: Susceptibility to phishing on social networking sites
- Authors: Frauenstein, Edwin Donald
- Date: 2021-10-29
- Subjects: Phishing , Social networks , Personality , Self-presentation in mass media , Internet fraud , Internet users Habits and behavior , Big Five model , Human information processing , Heuristic-Systematic Model (HSM)
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/190306 , vital:44982 , 10.21504/10962/190306
- Description: The worldwide popularity of social networking sites (SNSs) and the technical features they offer users have created many opportunities for malicious individuals to exploit the behavioral tendencies of their users via social engineering tactics. The self-representation and social interactions on SNSs encourage users to reveal their personalities in a way which characterises their behaviour. Frequent engagement on SNSs may also reinforce the performance of certain activities, such as sharing and clicking on links, at a “habitual” level on these sites. Subsequently, this may also influence users to overlook phishing posts and messages on SNSs and thus not apply sufficient cognitive effort in their decision-making. As users do not expect phishing threats on these sites, they may become accustomed to behaving in this manner which may consequently put them at risk of such attacks. Using an online survey, primary data was collected from 215 final-year undergraduate students. Employing structural equation modelling techniques, the associations between the Big Five personality traits, habits and information processing were examined with the aim to identify users susceptible to phishing on SNSs. Moreover, other behavioural factors such as social norms, computer self-efficacy and perceived risk were examined in terms of their influence on phishing susceptibility. The results of the analysis revealed the following key findings: 1) users with the personality traits of extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism are more likely to perform habitual behaviour, while conscientious users are least likely; 2) users who perform certain behaviours out of habit are directly susceptible to phishing attacks; 3) users who behave out of habit are likely to apply a heuristic mode of processing and are therefore more susceptible to phishing attacks on SNSs than those who apply systematic processing; 4) users with higher computer self-efficacy are less susceptible to phishing; and 5) users who are influenced by social norms are at greater risk of phishing. This study makes a contribution to scholarship and to practice, as it is the first empirical study to investigate, in one comprehensive model, the relationship between personality traits, habit and their effect on information processing which may influence susceptibility to phishing on SNSs. The findings of this study may assist organisations in the customisation of an individual anti-phishing training programme to target specific dispositional factors in vulnerable users. By using a similar instrument to the one used in this study, pre-assessments could determine and classify certain risk profiles that make users vulnerable to phishing attacks. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Commerce, Information Systems, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2021-10-29
An investigation into the relationship between certain personality traits and job satisfaction: a case of selected employees in the Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Mhlanga, Tatenda Shaleen
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Bank employees -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Job satisfaction -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Personality -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Extraversion -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Neuroses -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Conscience -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Africa -- Eastern Cape , Big Five model , Organizational behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom (Industrial Psychology)
- Identifier: vital:11559 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007148 , Bank employees -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Job satisfaction -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Personality -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Extraversion -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Neuroses -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Conscience -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Africa -- Eastern Cape , Big Five model , Organizational behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: There is relatively little research based on the Big Five personality dimensions and job satisfaction and the relationship thereof. Job satisfaction of employees is a good indication of organizational effectiveness and is influenced by organizational and dispositional factors. The fundamental nature of the dispositional approach is that individuals have stable traits that significantly influence their affective and behavioral reactions to organizational settings. The general objective of this study was to determine the relationship between personality dimensions and job satisfaction of bank employees. A quantitative design was used in the empirical study. The sample consisted of 126 bank employees. The current research found that employees who are high in openness, conscientiousness and low in neuroticism tend to be more satisfied with their job. Agreeableness personality did not have a significant relationship with job satisfaction, while employees with high levels of extraversion had negative significant correlation with job satisfaction. However, overall personality dimensions explained relatively small percentages in the variance of job satisfaction. The findings will aid management institutions in selecting, and retaining employees as higher job satisfaction is linked to higher levels of productivity, effectiveness and commitment. Key words: extroversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness, job satisfaction, bank employees.
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- Date Issued: 2012
The relationship between conscientiousness, extraversion and leadership effectiveness among local government managers in Bisho and East London
- Authors: Bell, Clement
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Extraversion -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Big Five model , Public officers , Role conflict , Conscience -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom (Industrial Psychology)
- Identifier: vital:11556 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007116 , Extraversion -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Big Five model , Public officers , Role conflict , Conscience -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: This study investigated the relationship between conscientiousness, extraversion, and leadership effectiveness among the local government managers in Bisho and East London. Conscientiousness and extraversion were used as independent variables in the study while leadership effectiveness was used as the dependent variable. The data was collected from a sample of 222 local government managers using a self-designed biographical and occupational questionnaire. To measure conscientiousness and extraversion, a 24-item 5-point rating scale adopted from Finchan & Rhodes (2005) was used. To measure leadership effectiveness, a 6-item 5-point derailment rating scale adopted from Lombardo & McCauley (1994) was used. Data analysis was done using various statistical techniques, including t-tests, Pearson Product Moment Correlation Technique and Multiple Regression Analysis. The results indicated that both conscientiousness and extraversion are strongly associated with leadership effectiveness. Conscientiousness was also strongly associated with the individual components of leadership effectiveness, interpersonal relationships; molding a staff; making strategic transitions; follow-through and ability to work independently. Extraversion was also strongly associated with the individual components of leadership effectiveness, molding a staff; making strategic transitions; strategic similarities with management; follow-through and ability to work independently. Although conscientiousness and extraversion combined were found to have an additive effect on leadership effectiveness, conscientiousness accounts for a higher proportion of variance in leadership effectiveness than extraversion. Finally, the results also indicated that age was strongly associated with leadership effectiveness. The study therefore recommends that organisations should use conscientiousness and extraversion when selecting individuals for leadership positions.
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- Date Issued: 2012