The Psychological and Financial Impact of Cybercrime Victimization: A Novel Application of the Shattered Assumptions Theory. (August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Borwell, Jildau; Jansen, Jurjen; Stol, Wouter
• Other Names: Dupont Benoit guest-editor.; Holt Thomas guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Social science computer review. Volume 40:Number 4(2022)
• Page Start: 933
• Page End: 954
• Publication Date: 2022-08
• Subjects: cybercrime victimization -- shattered assumptions theory -- psychological impact -- hacking -- financial cybercrime -- person-centered cybercrime; Social sciences -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Computers -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Microcomputers -- Periodicals; Sciences sociales -- Informatique -- Périodiques; Micro-ordinateurs -- Périodiques; 300.285
• DOI: 10.1177/0894439320983828
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0894-4393

Abstract

While criminality is digitizing, a theory-based understanding of the impact of cybercrime on victims is lacking. Therefore, this study addresses the psychological and financial impact of cybercrime on victims, applying the shattered assumptions theory (SAT) to predict that impact. A secondary analysis was performed on a representative data set of Dutch citizens ( N = 33, 702), exploring the psychological and financial impact for different groups of cybercrime victims. The results showed a higher negative impact on emotional well-being for victims of person-centered cybercrime, victims for whom the offender was an acquaintance, and victims whose financial loss was not compensated and a lower negative impact on emotional well-being for victims with a higher income. The study led to novel scientific insights and showed the applicability of the SAT for developing hypotheses about cybercrime victimization impact. In this study, most hypotheses had to be rejected, leading to the conclusion that more work has to be done to test the applicability of the SAT in the field of cybercrime. Furthermore, policy implications were identified considering the prioritization of and approach to specific cybercrimes, treatment of victims, and financial loss compensation.