Examining the distinct antecedents of E-mail habits and its influence on the outcomes of a phishing attack

This research investigates the link between social media phishing susceptibility and individual Facebook habits, particularly how these habits lead to victimization and its relation to email-based phishing. The study analyzes the precursors and effects of email habits and cognitive processing on the result of a simulated phishing attack. Findings suggest that email habits are tied to stable personality traits such as conscientiousness and emotional stability, while cognitive processing is based on the adequacy of contextual information. Interestingly, habits and processing collectively influence the attack’s outcome. While systematic processing slightly reduces phishing susceptibility, the combined impact of heuristic processing and email habits leads to a significant increase in potential victimization, negating any benefits from detailed processing.