The effects of security controls on human behavior in online social networks

Abstract

Internet is a conglomeration of networks on a worldwide scale of billions of interconnected computers that provides an increased potential for interaction between humans, since one of the main characteristics of the Internet is to facilitate the production of a social episode. Because there is a relationship between humans and the online environment, the Internet should be part of the study of behavior analysis and behavioral science itself can use the Internet as a potential laboratory to assist in understanding human behavior and understand the effects caused by these new behaviors.

Understanding the variables that affect these behaviors, as well as the reinforcement contingencies that control them can bring an advantage in relation to the prediction and control of human behavior, including questions concerning the proper and effective development of new technologies that provide benefits to the academic world, science, society, and organizations. The objective of this paper is to present methodological considerations that were stemming from an experimental research that made use of the Internet as an experimental laboratory for studying the negative effects that security controls can exert on the behavior of online users. The results of this research point to the opportunity of developing new research for understanding human behavior on the Internet and they highlight the need to invest in studies and to improve the procedures used. We also believe that this study could contribute to the behavior analysis and other sciences can use the Internet as a laboratory in order to better understand the contingencies that control online behavior and encourage the adequate development of systems to bring the best experience to Internet users.

Authors 

Nelson Novaes Neto – Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo – Brazil

Sergio Vasconcelos de Luna – Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo – Brazil

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