Emotional cost of cyber crime and cybersecurity protection motivation behaviour: A systematic literature review

The impact of a cyberattack on an organisation is multifaceted, at the employee level, cyber threat is a sensitive issue which needs further understanding. Founded in psychology research, emotions affect protection motivation behaviours at the individual level in the context of cybersecurity. The majority of the research studies focus on how external factors affect employees’ cybersecurity behaviours (e.g., risk understanding, rationality in cybersecurity policy decision-making, security regulations, compliance and ethical behaviour). However, studies lack a cross-disciplinary understanding of the cybersecurity impact on the individual’s emotional state and its implications for the organisation. This paper aims to analyse existing studies and methodological approaches in order to help conceptualise the role of emotions in cybersecurity behaviour. Through the analysis of existing research studies and methodological approaches, we found that internal emotions, both positive and negative, play a significant role in shaping cybersecurity protection behaviour. Finally, future research directions are discussed.