Individuals may legitimise hacking when angry with system or authority

Individuals may legitimise hacking when angry with system or authority

University of Kent research has found that when individuals feel that a system or authority is unresponsive to their demands, they are more likely to legitimise hacker activity at an organisation’s expense.

Individuals are more likely to experience anger when they believe that systems or authorities have overlooked pursuing justice on their behalf or listening to their demands. In turn, the study found that if the systems or authorities in question were a victim of hacking, individuals would be more likely to legitimise the hackers’ disruptive actions as a way to manifest their own anger against the organisation.

With more organisations at risk to cyber security breaches, and more elements of individuals’ social lives taking place online, this research is timely in highlighting how hackers are perceived by individuals seeking justice.

The research, led by Maria Heering and Dr Giovanni Travaglino in the School of Psychology, was carried out with British undergraduate students and participants on academic survey crowdsourcer, Prolific Academic. The participants were presented with fictional scenarios of unfair treatment from authorities, with complaints either dismissed or pursued, before they were told that hackers had defaced the authorities’ websites. Participants were then asked to indicate how much they disagreed or agreed with the hackers’ actions. These hackers were predominantly supported by participants perceiving them as a way to ‘get back at’ the systems who do not listen to their demands.

Maria Heering said: ‘When individuals perceive a system as unjust, they are motivated to participate in political protest and collective action to promote social change. However, if they believe they will not have voice, they will legitimise groups and individuals who disrupt the system on their behalf. While this study explored individuals’ feelings of anger, there is certainly more to be explored in this research area. For example, there might be important differences between the psychological determinations of individuals’ support for humorous, relatively harmless forms of hacking, and more serious and dangerous ones.’

Their research paper ‘“If they don’t listen to us, they deserve it”: The effect of external efficacy and anger on the perceived legitimacy of hacking’ is published in Group Processes & Intergroup Relations. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430220937777

Research


from ScienceBlog.com https://ift.tt/3ee0cYf

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

‘Massive-scale mobilization’ necessary for addressing climate change, scientists say

Image
A year after a global coalition of more than 11,000 scientists declared a climate emergency, Oregon State University researchers who initiated the declaration released an update today that points to a handful of hopeful signs, but shares continued alarm regarding an overall lack of progress in addressing climate risks. “Young people in more than 3,500 locations around the world have organized to push for urgent action,” said Oregon State University’s William Ripple, who co-authored “The Climate Emergency: 2020 in Review,” published today in Scientific American. “And the Black Lives Matter movement has elevated social injustice and equality to the top of our consciousness. “Rapid progress in each of the climate action steps we outline is possible if framed from the outset in the context of climate justice – climate change is a deeply moral issue. We desperately need those who face the most severe climate risks to help shape the response.” One year ago, Ripple, distinguished profess...
Read more

Wiggling worms suggest link between vitamin B12 and Alzheimer’s

Image
Worms don’t wiggle when they have Alzheimer’s disease. Yet something helped worms with the disease hold onto their wiggle in Professor Jessica Tanis’s lab at the University of Delaware. In solving the mystery, Tanis and her team have yielded new clues into the potential impact of diet on Alzheimer’s, the dreaded degenerative brain disease afflicting more than 6 million Americans. A few years ago, Tanis and her team began investigating factors affecting the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. They were doing genetic research with  C. elegans , a tiny soil-dwelling worm that is the subject of numerous studies. Expression of amyloid beta, a toxic protein implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, paralyzes worms within 36 hours after they reach adulthood. While the worms in one petri dish in Tanis’s lab were rendered completely immobile, the worms of the same age in the adjacent petri dish still had their wiggle, documented as “body bends,” by the scientists. “It was an observa...
Read more

Addressing Concerns About ScienceFather Awards: Our Commitment to Transparency and Integrity

Image
At ScienceFather , we pride ourselves on maintaining the highest standards of transparency, credibility, and integrity in all our activities. Our awards, including the Best Researcher Award, are built on a rigorous selection process that evaluates the quality of research, innovation, and contributions across a wide range of fields. We understand that there may be concerns or misinformation circulating online about our organization. We take these concerns seriously and are actively working to clarify any misunderstandings. It is essential to address the misconceptions and provide an accurate picture of what ScienceFather stands for. Award Legitimacy: A Globally Recognized Honor The Best Researcher Award is a distinguished honor recognized around the world, with recipients from over 112 countries . Our selection process is based solely on the quality of research. There are no costs associated with the review or selection process , ensuring that the recognition is purely merit-based. Fi...
Read more