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Individual differences in susceptibility to online influence: A theoretical review

Williams, Emma J. ; Beardmore, Amy ; Joinson, Adam N. (2017) — Computers in Human Behavior

DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2017.03.002
Type:   Journal Article
Country:   Global
Tags:   online scams, phishing, social engineering, individual differences, information processing, trust, decision making, risk, romance scams, theoretical review, Elaboration Likelihood Model, Heuristic-Systematic Model, susceptibility

Synopsis (AI-Generated)

This theoretical review synthesizes literature on online scams, social influence, phishing, persuasion, decision-making, and individual differences. It develops a holistic conceptual model in which susceptibility reflects recipient traits, current state, context, and influence mechanisms, intended as a basis for future hypothesis testing and experimentation. Scammers use emotional triggers, including panic, excitement, curiosity, and empathy, to encourage judgment and decision-making errors. Habitual patterns of email use can increase susceptibility to phishing attempts. The article is a theoretical review rather than a new empirical study.

Identified Gaps (AI-Generated)

Research on individual differences in online-scam susceptibility is limited by under-reporting, difficulty accessing relevant populations, and little experimental work. The effects of emotions on scam responses are largely neglected. The magnitude and interaction of trait, state, contextual, and message-level risk factors remain unknown, as do the most effective intervention targets and mechanisms of training.

Methods (AI-Generated)

This theoretical review synthesizes literature on online scams, social influence, phishing, persuasion, decision-making, and individual differences. It develops a holistic conceptual model in which susceptibility reflects recipient traits, current state, context, and influence mechanisms, intended as a basis for future hypothesis testing and experimentation.

Limitations (AI-Generated)

The article is a theoretical review rather than a new empirical study. Its proposed risk factors are drawn partly from adjacent fields because direct research on online-scam susceptibility is limited. The relationships, effect sizes, and interactions specified in the proposed model are explicitly unknown and require empirical testing.

Future Work (AI-Generated)

Test the proposed model experimentally to determine how trait, state, contextual, and message factors combine to affect susceptibility. Establish whether effects are additive, multiplicative, or limited by a ceiling. Identify intervention points with the greatest effect on secure behaviour, and examine how training and education reduce susceptibility and why suspicious people may still succumb.

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AI-Generated Content Notice

The synopsis and research notes on this page were generated with AI from available publication information and, when available, the uploaded paper text. They may contain errors, omissions, or interpretation issues. Readers should follow the DOI or source link, review the original publication, and make their own judgment about the content.

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