Paper Type
Short
Paper Number
PACIS2026-2090
Description
Digital fraud has become embedded in routine online activities. Rather than reflecting mere negligence, fraud vulnerability is closely related to how individuals regulate their behavior under socially structured influence. Drawing on Self-Regulation Theory, this study develops a dual-regulation model of fraud vulnerability that incorporates self-regulatory efficacy and social-regulatory efficacy. It distinguishes two categories based on persuasion logics: (1) profit-induced fraud, which appeals to financial gain or loss avoidance, and (2) role-embedded fraud, which relies on socially recognized identities and relational legitimacy. Analyzing survey data from 6,090 digitally active young adults, the study reveals that both regulatory capacities significantly reduce fraud vulnerability. However, information literacy demonstrates differentiated moderating effects. It weakens regulatory protection in role-embedded fraud, while in profit-induced fraud, it shows no significant influence on self-regulatory efficacy and weakens the effect of self-regulatory efficacy. The study advances a mechanism-based typology of digital fraud and offer implications for targeted fraud prevention.
Recommended Citation
Guo, Yichen; Yu, Mengli; Zeng, Xiao; and Tan, Chee-Wee, "When Self-Regulation Meets Social Persuasion: A Dual-System Explanation of Digital Fraud Vulnerability" (2026). PACIS 2026 Proceedings. 24.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2026/general_topic/general_topic/24
When Self-Regulation Meets Social Persuasion: A Dual-System Explanation of Digital Fraud Vulnerability
Digital fraud has become embedded in routine online activities. Rather than reflecting mere negligence, fraud vulnerability is closely related to how individuals regulate their behavior under socially structured influence. Drawing on Self-Regulation Theory, this study develops a dual-regulation model of fraud vulnerability that incorporates self-regulatory efficacy and social-regulatory efficacy. It distinguishes two categories based on persuasion logics: (1) profit-induced fraud, which appeals to financial gain or loss avoidance, and (2) role-embedded fraud, which relies on socially recognized identities and relational legitimacy. Analyzing survey data from 6,090 digitally active young adults, the study reveals that both regulatory capacities significantly reduce fraud vulnerability. However, information literacy demonstrates differentiated moderating effects. It weakens regulatory protection in role-embedded fraud, while in profit-induced fraud, it shows no significant influence on self-regulatory efficacy and weakens the effect of self-regulatory efficacy. The study advances a mechanism-based typology of digital fraud and offer implications for targeted fraud prevention.
Comments
17-General