Evaluating the Behavior of Users of Mobile Electronic Devices with the Emphasis on Protection Motivation Theory of Data Breach: a Case Study of Graduate Students

This study tries to evaluate the experimental behavior of graduate students of Ilam University when using mobile electronic devices (mobile phones, tablets and laptops) based on the protection motivation theory of data breach. This research is of applied-survey type. The statistical population of research includes graduate students of Ilam University. Data collection tool was based on the questionnaires introduced by Boss et al., Woon et al., Claar and Johnson, Johnson and Warkentin, and Posey et al. For data analysis, structural equation modeling was used to fit the model and test the hypotheses of research in AMOS software using partial least squares method. Results indicated that there is a positive relationship between the perceived threat sensitivity, response effectiveness, self-efficacy and the possibility of using the security of mobile electronic devices with the protection motivation. In addition, the findings showed that there is not a meaningful relationship between the perceived threat intensity and the motivation of protecting the mobile electronic devices. There is a negative (indirect) relationship between the perceived response cost and the protection motivation. Generally, this study emphasized that the confrontational assessment process is a more important factor than the threat assessment process in increasing users’ protection motivation.