Congratulations to Emmet Robins on his successful MA defence

Congratulations to Emmet Robins for successfully defending his MA thesis titled "Impulsive Clicks and Phishing Tricks: Exploring Thoughtfully Reflective Decision Making (TRDM) and Phishing Vulnerability."

Abstract

This research investigates the role of Thoughtfully Reflective Decision Making (TRDM) in predicting phishing email vulnerability across diverse cultural backgrounds. TRDM, defined by careful consideration and weighing of consequences before decision-making, is critical in identifying and countering phishing attacks that often rely on impulsive responses.

The current study utilizes an experimental, role-playing survey in which participants assessed 12 emails, and attempted to identify whether they were legitimate or phishing. Afterwards, participants filled out a comprehensive survey, inquiring about demographic information, online habits, and decision-making processes among other topics. Using a sample of university students in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Poland and Nigeria, this research serves as one of the first global comparative studies on cybervictimization, aiming to determine if those who exhibit higher levels of TRDM are superior at correctly differentiating between phishing and legitimate emails. The results show that predictors of susceptibility vary greatly from one country to another, and that TRDM is only a significant protective factor when moderated by the average amount of time participants spent viewing each email before making their selections.