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Our study is based on the conceptualized framework on Protection and Motivation Theory (PMT) developed by Rogers (1983) (Figure 1). To some extent, the PMT will be incorporated with other supporting factors that are believed to influence users’ perception of privacy and security awareness in SNS. The Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) postulates that one’s motivation to protect himself/herself from a risky situation is determined by threat and coping appraisals (Rogers & Prentice-Dunn, 1997).
Figure 1. Protection motivation theory (adapted from Roger, 1983)
The threat appraisals consist of perceived vulnerability and perceived severity, meanwhile coping appraisals include self-efficacy and response efficacy. Perceived severity refers to one’s perception of the level of damage which may result from engaging in risky situation; meanwhile perceived vulnerability refers to one’s perception of experiencing possible negative consequences from performing risky behaviour.
The PMT has been applied widely in the psychology, health-related and environmental protection research. In the context of Information Systems (IS), the PMT has been used to examine user’s protective behaviour in online transaction (LaRose, Rifon, & Enbody, 2006; Youn, 2009), employee’s awareness to organizational information security policies (Herath & Rao, 2009; Siponen, Pahnila, & Mahmood, 2010) and individual use of security software (Johnston & Warkentin, 2010).
However, only few studies have applied the PMT to explain users’ protective behavior associated with information disclosure online (Banks, Onita, & Meservy, 2010; Youn, 2009). Banks et al. (2010) focused on information sharing behaviour in online social media by using PMT and added social influence to their framework, whilst Youn (2009) studied young adolescents’ demographic factors and protection behavior in e-commerce environment. In a recent study, Mohamed and Ahmad (2012) combined the Protection Motivation Theory and Social Cognitive Theory to explain college students’ information privacy concerns.