Us and them: Group dynamics as a lens for understanding cyber security beliefs and behaviours within organisations
Abstract
Group dynamics is a sub-field of social psychology that explores both intragroup and intergroup processes and how they affect attitudes and behaviours. As a psychology-based lens for understanding cyber security beliefs and behaviours, the group dynamics literature offers largely untapped insights. Its neglect is partly due to the inadequacies of many existing quantitative tools used in cyber security practice when it comes to capturing group processes. This paper explores some ways in which the group dynamics literature can be leveraged to illuminate end-user cyber security beliefs and behaviours in organisations, focusing on research about social identity, intergroup relations and group decision making. Practical implications of this body of work are discussed in relation to prominent and topical behavioural cyber security challenges such as the use of phishing simulations, red teaming, punishment regimes, communications and training, and hybrid working. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Marco Cinnirella obtained his BSc and PhD in social psychology from the London School of Economics and is currently a Professor of Applied Social Psychology at Royal Holloway. He is known for his interdisciplinary and mixed methods work applying social psychology to real-world issues including health behaviours, environmental attitudes, prejudice, online behaviour and human factors in cyber security. It is the latter that has been his main passion for the last 10 years, working with a range of multinationals on industry-sponsored behavioural projects, and delivering various international keynote addresses and public lectures exploring how social psychology provides invaluable insights into cyber security behaviours. During his career he has advised, among other bodies, the UK Home Office, the United Nations Atomic Energy Agency and the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport. As well as publishing widely within the field of applied social psychology, Marco has also taken part in a range of radio and television programmes.
Inbal Iahr obtained her BSc and MSc in psychology, clinical and cognitive neuroscience from Royal Holloway, University of London. She has worked with Marco Cinnirella on a range of cyber security research projects with public and private sector organisations.
