Examining the Intention of Authorization via Apps: Personality Traits and Expanded Privacy Calculus Perspectives

The Impact of Shared Information Presentation Time on Users' Privacy-Regulation Behavior in the Context of Vertical Privacy: A Moderated Mediation Model

Combining data-sharing models and algorithm technologies has led to new data flow structures and usage patterns. In this context, the presentation time of shared low-sensitivity information across platforms has become a crucial factor that affects user perception and privacy-regulation behavior. However, previous studies have not conducted an in-depth exploration of this issue. Based on privacy process theory, this study discusses the impact and potential mechanism of the presentation time (immediate or delayed) of shared low-sensitivity information across platforms on privacy-regulation behavior. Through a pre-study and two online survey experimental studies, which included 379 participants in total, we verified that the immediate information presentation time has a significantly higher impact on online vigilance and privacy-regulation behavior than the delayed condition, βdirect = 0.5960, 95% CI 0.2402 to 0.9518; βindirect = 0.1765, 95% CI 0.0326 to 0.3397, and users' perceived control as the moderating role influences online vigilance and privacy-regulation behaviors (preventive or corrective), βpreventive = -0.0562, 95% CI -0.1435 to -0.0063; βcorrective = -0.0581, 95% CI -0.1402 to -0.0065. Based on these results, we suggest that the presentation time of using shared low-sensitivity information across platforms should be concerned by companies' recommendation algorithms to reduce users' negative perceptions and privacy behaviors and improve user experience.

A Study of Reasons for Self-Disclosure on Social Media among Chinese COVID-19 Patients: Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior Model

BACKGROUND

With a massive population of internet users, China has witnessed a shift in the behavior of social media users towards the COVID-19 pandemic, transitioning from reticence to frequent sharing of information in response to changing circumstances and policy adjustments of the disease. This study aims to explore how perceived benefits, perceived risks, subjective norms, and self-efficacy influence the intentions of Chinese COVID-19 patients to disclose their medical history on social media, and thus to examine their actual disclosure behaviors.

METHODS

Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Privacy Calculus Theory (PCT), a structural equation model was constructed to analyze the influence paths among perceived benefits, perceived risks, subjective norms, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions to disclose medical history on social media among Chinese COVID-19 patients. A total of 593 valid surveys were collected via a randomized internet-based survey, which constituted a representative sample. Firstly, we used SPSS 26.0 to conduct reliability and validity analyses of the questionnaire, as well as the tests of demographic differences and correlations between variables. Next, Amos 26.0 was employed to construct and test the model fit degree, identify the relationships among latent variables, and conduct path tests.

RESULTS

Our findings revealed the following: (1) There were significant gender differences in the self-disclosure behaviors of medical history on social media among Chinese COVID-19 patients. (2) Perceived benefits had a positive effect on self-disclosure behavioral intentions (β = 0.412, p < 0.001); perceived risks had a positive effect on self-disclosure behavioral intentions (β = 0.097, p < 0.05); subjective norms had a positive effect on self-disclosure behavioral intentions (β = 0.218, p < 0.001); self-efficacy had a positive effect on self-disclosure behavioral intentions (β = 0.136, p < 0.001). (3) Self-disclosure behavioral intentions had a positive effect on disclosure behaviors (β = 0.356, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study, by integrating TPB and PCT to examine the influencing factors of the self-disclosure behaviors among Chinese COVID-19 patients on social media, found that perceived risks, perceived benefits, subjective norms, and self-efficacy had a positive influence on the self-disclosure intentions of Chinese COVID-19 patients. We also found that self-disclosure intentions, in turn, positively influenced disclosure behaviors. However, we did not observe a direct influence of self-efficacy on disclosure behaviors. Our study provides a sample of the application of TPB in the context of social media self-disclosure behavior among patients. It also introduces a novel perspective and potential approach for individuals to address the feelings of fear and shame related to illness, particularly within the context of collectivist cultural values.