This study investigated emotional reactions to cybersecurity breaches. Based on prior research, a context-specific instrument was developed. This new instrument covered all five emotion components identified by the componential emotion approach. In total, 145 participants that experienced a cybersecurity breach reported on their appraisals, action tendencies, bodily reactions, expressions, subjective feelings, and regulation attempts. A principal component analysis on a total of 75 emotion reactions revealed a clear three-dimensional structure. The first dimension represented the extent to which the person was generally emotionally affected. The second dimension revealed constructive action tendencies and subjective feelings that were opposed to unconstructive action tendencies, expressions, and bodily reactions. The third dimension revealed cognitive motivational reactions that were opposed to affective reactions. This study clearly indicated that cybersecurity breaches do not only form a challenge for engineers, but also have important psychological ramifications that need to be addressed. Although some people have a tendency to react with constructive and proactive actions that are likely to limit the negative consequences of the cybersecurity breach, others experience a strong negative affective stress reaction and are unlikely to take the appropriate steps to deal with the security breach situation. These people, especially, can be expected to be vulnerable to psychological complaints and possibly psychopathology. The newly developed instrument uses a comprehensive approach to assess emotional reactions to cybersecurity threats and provides an efficient way to identify potentially problematic reactions.

中文翻译：

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网络安全漏洞受害者的情感体验

这项研究调查了对网络安全漏洞的情绪反应。根据先前的研究，开发了一种特定于上下文的工具。这个新工具涵盖了成分情绪方法确定的所有五种情绪成分。总共有 145 名经历过网络安全漏洞的参与者报告了他们的评估、行动倾向、身体反应、表情、主观感受和监管尝试。对总共 75 个情绪反应的主成分分析揭示了一个清晰的三维结构。第一个维度代表该人普遍受到情绪影响的程度。第二个维度揭示了与非建设性行动倾向、表达和身体反应相反的建设性行动倾向和主观感受。第三个维度揭示了与情感反应相反的认知动机反应。这项研究清楚地表明，网络安全漏洞不仅对工程师构成挑战，而且还具有需要解决的重要心理影响。尽管有些人倾向于采取可能限制网络安全漏洞的负面后果的建设性和积极主动的行动做出反应，但其他人会经历强烈的负面情感压力反应，并且不太可能采取适当的步骤来处理安全漏洞情况。这些人尤其容易受到心理抱怨和可能的精神病理学的影响。