Factors Predicting the Explicit and Implicit Attitude Towards Body Scanners

Abstract

The study aimed at finding variables predicting the implicit and explicit attitude towards body scanners and to assess possible correlations with regard to dual-process. Age, gender, the personality variables technological affinity and systemizing, knowledge about body scanners and media consumption served as predictors. The explicit attitude was operationalized through a questionnaire measuring expectations about a body scan. A Single Target Implicit Association Test assessed the implicit attitude. Gender and knowledge were significant predictors for the explicit attitude: Women worried more about the effects of a body scan and requested more information. People with more knowledge about body scanners worried more about possible discrimination through body scanners. Predicting the implicit attitude there was a trend that people who have more enthusiasm about technology had a worse implicit attitude towards body scanners. Implicit and explicit attitude did not correlate. The findings suggest that it makes sense to integrate different kinds of users in the design and development process of security technologies to account for different opinions, needs and worries.