Privacy concern and its consequences: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Concern about information privacy (“privacy concern”) and its consequences has been a frequent topic of research that spans privacy theories (e.g., privacy calculus theory) and non-privacy theories (e.g., organizational justice theory) alike. In empirical research, drawing from various theories and research designs, studies have produced widely divergent findings yet to be fully explained. Such conflicting results can misinform researchers, organizations, and policymakers about privacy concerns and what type of privacy policies and regulations should be enacted. To provide meaningful and conclusive implications, a meta-analysis of 181 independent studies (N = 99,092) was conducted to consolidate the current literature on privacy concern. The meta-analysis revealed that privacy concern exhibited significant relationships with selected consequences (e.g., trust, disclosure intentions, protection behavior). Even so, moderator analyses demonstrated that theoretical (e.g., culture) and methodological (e.g., measurement instrument) factors influence certain privacy concern relationships. Supplementary analyses revealed that the “privacy paradox” phenomenon is generalizable in that privacy concern exhibited a larger impact on behavioral intentions than on actual behavior. The theoretical and practical implications of the research findings are discussed and future research topics proposed.