Paper Type
Complete
Paper Number
PACIS2026-2088
Description
With digitalization, cyberattacks and security risks continue to rise. Despite technical safeguards, human behavior remains a primary cause of security incidents. Awareness programs often fail because they overlook psychological differences. This study examines how the personality dimensions of the Big Five model relate to individuals’ responses to information security incidents. We test three hypotheses: (H1) higher Openness is associated with more security-relevant behavior, (H2) higher Neuroticism is associated with less security-relevant behavior and (H3) higher Extraversion is associated with more security-relevant behavior. The analysis is based on a quantitative online survey using the BFI-2 and eleven realistic security scenarios. The results show links between personality traits and security behavior: more extraverted and open individuals acted more securely, whereas more neurotic participants responded more riskily. Six significant correlations were identified, indicating that personality influences behavior in security-critical situations. These findings highlight the importance of psychological factors for developing targeted awareness programs.
Recommended Citation
Glückert, Isabel Katharina; Fertig, Tobias; Bibaj, Ricard; and Biedermann, Sebastian, "Understanding Human Behavior in Information Security Incident Scenarios: The Role of Big Five Personality Traits" (2026). PACIS 2026 Proceedings. 23.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2026/general_topic/general_topic/23
Understanding Human Behavior in Information Security Incident Scenarios: The Role of Big Five Personality Traits
With digitalization, cyberattacks and security risks continue to rise. Despite technical safeguards, human behavior remains a primary cause of security incidents. Awareness programs often fail because they overlook psychological differences. This study examines how the personality dimensions of the Big Five model relate to individuals’ responses to information security incidents. We test three hypotheses: (H1) higher Openness is associated with more security-relevant behavior, (H2) higher Neuroticism is associated with less security-relevant behavior and (H3) higher Extraversion is associated with more security-relevant behavior. The analysis is based on a quantitative online survey using the BFI-2 and eleven realistic security scenarios. The results show links between personality traits and security behavior: more extraverted and open individuals acted more securely, whereas more neurotic participants responded more riskily. Six significant correlations were identified, indicating that personality influences behavior in security-critical situations. These findings highlight the importance of psychological factors for developing targeted awareness programs.
Comments
17-General