Emotional Impact: How Stories Affect Password Behavior
by: Chris Fennell and Rick Wash
Abstract
Passwords represent a vital tool in how individuals can interact with various online and computing services. One way individuals learn about passwords is through stories which can contain lessons about computer security habits. In this paper, we wanted to know what emotions individuals felt when they described their own story and if that story lead them to behave differently as a result. We analyzed the survey data from 87 participants and asked them to recall stories about passwords that influenced them. We found individuals reported overall feelings of Nervous, Anxious, Frustrated and Curious but when individuals reported feeling disheartened and dispirited, they reported changing their behavior as a result.
Reference
Chris Fennell and Rick Wash. “Emotional Impact: How Stories Affect Password Behavior.” Poster in Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security (SOUPS).August 2018.