"No point worrying" – The role of threat devaluation in information security behavior

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Extant information security research is characterized by a focus on problem-focused security behaviours, while overlooking the internal, and emotion-focused coping responses that humans exhibit. Threat devaluation, where severity is downplayed, is an established dimension of risk perception, and yet it has not been considered in information security research to date. We address this gap by developing and empirically testing a research model of how threat and coping factors from Protection Motivation Theory influence both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping responses. Data was collected from 518 users and PLS was used to reveal the determinants of, and the relationship between, problem-focused and emotion-focused coping behaviors. The results demonstrate that threat devaluation is a measurable outcome of all threat and coping appraisals considered, providing evidence that multiple coping strategies may be involved in a security threat situation. We also find that many of the well-established determinants of information security behavior, such as self-efficacy, are significantly related to emotion-focused responses. This has implications for researchers and practitioners who seek to create secure environments where users are more likely to enact constructive and problem-focused security behaviors.