Need for Affect and Need for Cognition vs. Cybersecurity Attitude

The aim of this study is to investigate how the need for affect and need for cognition influence security attitude of individuals. 663 participants, 323 of them from the UK and 340 Arabs, completed an online survey that utilized the NAQ-S, REI-10 and SA-6 scales to measure participants’ need for affect (both affect approach and affect avoid), need for cognition, and security attitude. Regression analysis was conducted to explore whether individual differences in affect approach, affect avoidance, and need for cognition along with participants’ age and gender influence their security attitude. Results were consistent across both samples and indicated that affect approach and need for cognition predicted positively security attitude whereas age and gender had no influence. Understanding the affective and cognitive factors that influence users’ attitude towards cybersecurity can help designers implement security interfaces and training programs in a personalized manner that strikes the right balance between increasing security and user-friendly and effective design. This study distinguishes itself by investigating the relationship between affective and cognitive factors in security using samples from two different populations, thereby increasing its coverage and representation of user bases.