Ready, set, know: The relationship between actual and perceived knowledge of cybercrime and the intentions to engage in self-protective behaviour

This study examined the role of actual and perceived knowledge on individuals’ intentions to engage in self-protective behaviour. Participants (N = 222) completed an online questionnaire including an actual knowledge test of cybercrime, protection measures, and items measuring constructs of Protection Motivation Theory. Regression analyses showed that actual knowledge is a predictor for intention to engage in self-protective behaviour and the predictive power was stronger than for perceived knowledge. Overall, we find that both perceived and actual knowledge are crucial constructs for self-protective behaviour, however, they activate different types of efficacy. Perceived knowledge is a stronger predictor for self-efficacy, whereas actual knowledge is a better predictor for response efficacy. Implications for future interventions and research are discussed, in which emphasis should be placed on providing knowledge, increasing user confidence, and the effects of these interventions.