A Comprehensive Study on the Emerging Role of Neuroeconomics Dynamics in Cybersecurity

Abstract

As cyber threats continue to evolve, there is growing recognition that effective security requires a deeper scientific understanding of the complex drivers of human judgment and decision-making. The emerging field of neuroeconomics, combining economics, psychology, and neuroscience, provides new theoretical frameworks, measurement techniques, and models to elucidate the neural foundations underpinning human motivations and behaviors critical to cyber contexts. This paper reviews key neuroeconomic concepts including dual-process thinking, prospect theory, and social decision neuroscience and highlights their potential for generating new insights and interventions to strengthen cybersecurity. Ethical considerations surrounding neuroeconomic monitoring and potential manipulations also demand careful governance. Overall, neuroeconomic research promises to advance cybersecurity practices and policies by grounding them in realistic neural models of human cognition, emotions, and social dynamics. Careful interdisciplinary collaboration will be key to validating applications and avoiding pitfalls as neuroeconomic tools and theories are integrated into both cybersecurity scholarship and practice. This neuro-cognitive approach represents a compelling frontier with immense opportunities to transform cybersecurity through enhanced appreciation of the human dimension.