Builds confidence, not fear, in awareness messages

Pairs every warning with a clear, doable action people believe they can take.

Fear appeals raised intentions only when people believed they could act; information alone does not change behavior. Belief in one's own ability predicts effort and persistence.

How to observe it: Share of content with a concrete action; self-efficacy survey items.

Supporting evidence

• Cyber Security Awareness Campaigns: Why do they fail to change behaviour? Bada et al., 2015
• Fear Appeals and Information Security Behaviors: An Empirical Study Johnston & Warkentin, 2010
• Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change Bandura, 1977

Context

• Cyber security fear appeals: unexpectedly complicated Renaud & Dupuis, 2019