Think Before You Click
Psychological Factors and the Role of Self-Awareness in Cyber Scam Resilience
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11275641 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Faris Basheer (University of Malaya), Vimala Balakrishnan (0000-0002-6859-4488, University of Malaya, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-22 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-22 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Deviant Behavior (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0163-9625 • E-ISSN: 1521-0456 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/01639625.2026.2647429 |
| OpenAlex | W7140037711 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 50 |
Cyber scams have become a concerning problem in today’s digital landscape, despite the advancement of cybersecurity technology, causing financial losses and compromising personal information. This study examines the psychological factors, such as cognitive effort, expertise, and mental fatigue, influencing perceived digital resilience when mediated by self-awareness. Drawing on the Elaboration Likelihood Model, Social Cognitive Theory, and past research, a conceptual framework was developed. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire from a sample of 934 Malaysian participants aged 18 and above. Confirmatory Factor Analysis revealed that cognitive effort and expertise have significant direct effects on perceived digital resilience; however, mental fatigue was found to be insignificant. When mediated by self-awareness, all three psychological factors were found to significantly affect perceived digital resilience, hence emphasizing the importance of self-awareness in influencing perceived digital resilience. This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by highlighting the importance of psychological factors, particularly self-awareness, as mediating factors to mitigate cyber scams effectively.
Cybercrime · Poison control · Psychological resilience · Resilience (materials science · Grit, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Mental Health via Writing · Resilience and Mental Health
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |