First Name:
Kathleen
Last Name:
Fransen
Major Department:
Accounting
Thesis Director:
William Baker
Date of Thesis:
May 2009
In an age when individuals are constantly interconnected via wireless technologies, it is important to update and maintain security systems. These systems should focus on human behavior so that security does not become a secondary task. It is important for businesses to remain aware of the human elements of security so that confidential internal and client information remains safe. This thesis examines how the psychological tendencies of humans influence decisions made regarding security. Individual responses of gain and loss scenarios were tested in everyday contexts and with passwords, along with several security-related questions. Results indicate that students are more risk averse about password security than they are about everyday decisions, and accounting students are, as a group, more risk averse than others.