The role of rational calculus in controlling individual propensity toward information security policy non-compliance behavior

Abstract

We draw on recent advances in cognitive neural science to articulate an employee security behavioral model. Cognitive neural science studies suggest two neurological processes occurring in human brain when making decisions: the automatic or reflexive process, which is the default mode for decision making, and the controlled or reflective process, which interrupts the automatic process when the brain encounters unexpected events or novel decisions. We map rational choice to the controlled process and self-control to the automatic process and test a decision model using survey data in the context of employee non-compliance behavior to organization information security policies.