Dispositional mindfulness as an antecedent of privacy concerns: A protection motivation theory perspective

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of mindfulness, an important personality trait, on people's perceptions of privacy. Using protection motivation theory as a conceptual foundation, the central tenet is that mindfulness plays an important role in people's threat appraisal process of privacy concerns and thus influences one's intention to share personal information online. A survey-based approach was employed to measure privacy attitudes of 685 UK individuals about online data disclosure. Our findings demonstrate that mindfulness contributes to the formation of privacy concerns. A more mindful consumer is more likely to adopt a more objective appraisal style, interpret privacy threats as less threatening, and thus share personal information online.