Privacy as a Planned Behavior: Effects of Situational Factors on Privacy Perceptions and Plans

TL;DR

This study investigates how situational factors influence privacy perceptions and disclosure intentions, using the theory of planned behavior to understand context-specific privacy decision-making.

Contribution

It introduces a framework applying the theory of planned behavior to analyze the impact of situational factors on privacy decisions in different contexts.

Findings

Situational factors significantly influence privacy attitudes and intentions.

Subjective norms and perceived behavioral control are positively related.

Contextual privacy decisions are mediated by TPB constructs.

Abstract

To account for privacy perceptions and preferences in user models and develop personalized privacy systems, we need to understand how users make privacy decisions in various contexts. Existing studies of privacy perceptions and behavior focus on overall tendencies toward privacy, but few have examined the context-specific factors in privacy decision making. We conducted a survey on Mechanical Turk (N=401) based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to measure the way users' perceptions of privacy factors and intent to disclose information are affected by three situational factors embodied hypothetical scenarios: information type, recipients' role, and trust source. Results showed a positive relationship between subjective norms and perceived behavioral control, and between each of these and situational privacy attitude; all three constructs are significantly positively associated with intent to disclose. These findings also suggest that, situational factors predict participants' privacy decisions through their influence on the TPB constructs.