Mindful Disclosure: Exploring Privacy Decisions through Neurological Monitoring

Authors

Sydney N. Panak, Middle Tennessee State UniversityFollow
Damilare Ogungbesan, Middle Tennessee State UniversityFollow
Michael A. Erskine, Middle Tennessee State UniversityFollow
Misagh Faezipour, Middle Tennessee State UniversityFollow

Abstract

How do individuals respond neurologically when prompted to disclose personally identifiable information (PII) within a simulated application, and what factors influence their decision-making processes in privacy-related behaviors? This research investigates individuals’ responses to requests for PII within a simulated application, explicitly focusing on the neurological aspects of privacy decisions. Utilizing EEG sensors, brainwave activity is recorded and interpreted along with other relevant metrics (Liang et al., 2018). We aim to deepen our understanding of the cognitive processes underlying privacy-related behaviors. This study examines participants’ neurological reactions (e.g., brainwave activity) when prompted to provide personal data. Data collection occurs in two stages: a pilot study to validate psychometric scales and assess baseline reactions to experiment conditions. Subsequently, an experiment will be conducted (N=45). The experiment tracks neurological responses during the use of a simulated application experiment. Our study provides insights into the role of cost-effective neurotechnology (Sánchez-Cifo et al., 2021) in privacy studies, offering a unique perspective on digital privacy. By observing neural activity and behavioral responses, we aim to gain deeper insights into the factors influencing individuals’ decision-making processes regarding privacy settings and data disclosure. Furthermore, applying neurophysiological methods (e.g., NeuroIS) offers unique insight into understanding human cognition and behavior in digital contexts (Dimoka et al., 2012; Kirwan et al., 2023). By integrating neurophysiological and behavioral methods in a simulated application, our research seeks to provide a richer understanding of privacy-related behaviors in digital environments. The goal is to shed light on factors influencing individuals’ decision-making processes regarding privacy settings and data disclosure, offering valuable insights for technology design and privacy management strategies.

Paper Number

tpp1114

Recommended Citation

Panak, Sydney N.; Ogungbesan, Damilare; Erskine, Michael A.; and Faezipour, Misagh, "Mindful Disclosure: Exploring Privacy Decisions through Neurological Monitoring" (2024). AMCIS 2024 TREOs. 99.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/treos_amcis2024/99