Paper Number
ECIS2025-1588
Paper Type
CRP
Abstract
The work provides insights into the motivations and behavioral patterns associated with shoulder surfing behavior on smartphones in public spaces from the perspective of observers using eye-tracking technology and standardized questionnaires. The underlying psychological and social factors are explored by covertly observing participants in a waiting room scenario with a decoy that creates a realistic shoulder surfing opportunity. The participants' glances at a nearby smartphone were analyzed, and it was found that boredom and curiosity were the most common motives for shoulder surfing. The results showed a significant correlation between the participants' personality traits, such as openness and conscientiousness, and their propensity for this behavior. The study also highlights the discrepancy between self-assessment and actual behavior observed through eye-tracking. This study contributes to the understanding of the challenges of digital privacy shows an innovative experimental approach for further research. Keywords: shoulder surfing, eye-tracking, smartphone privacy, behavioral analysis
Recommended Citation
Mörsdorf, Elisabeth; Korn, Elisa; and Murlowski, Christian, "UNDERSTANDING SHOULDER SURFING BEHAVIOR: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY USING EYE-TRACKING AND SELF-REPORTS" (2025). ECIS 2025 Proceedings. 3.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2025/cog_hbis/cog_hbis/3
UNDERSTANDING SHOULDER SURFING BEHAVIOR: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY USING EYE-TRACKING AND SELF-REPORTS
The work provides insights into the motivations and behavioral patterns associated with shoulder surfing behavior on smartphones in public spaces from the perspective of observers using eye-tracking technology and standardized questionnaires. The underlying psychological and social factors are explored by covertly observing participants in a waiting room scenario with a decoy that creates a realistic shoulder surfing opportunity. The participants' glances at a nearby smartphone were analyzed, and it was found that boredom and curiosity were the most common motives for shoulder surfing. The results showed a significant correlation between the participants' personality traits, such as openness and conscientiousness, and their propensity for this behavior. The study also highlights the discrepancy between self-assessment and actual behavior observed through eye-tracking. This study contributes to the understanding of the challenges of digital privacy shows an innovative experimental approach for further research. Keywords: shoulder surfing, eye-tracking, smartphone privacy, behavioral analysis
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