Introduction to creating a typology of security behaviours

Creating a typology of security behaviors involves classifying and organizing different behaviors into categories or families. This approach helps in understanding and influencing these behaviors more effectively.

Key Concepts from Typology Building:

  1. Definition and Purpose:
    • Typology: A classification system that groups behaviors into categories based on similarities.
    • Purpose: Helps in identifying and targeting specific behaviors for intervention by understanding their commonalities and differences.
  2. Approaches to Building Typologies:
    • Ideal-Type Analysis: Uses theoretical constructs to define categories. Ideal types are theoretical models of behavior that represent the most developed form of a concept.
    • Cluster Analysis: Empirically groups behaviors based on statistical similarities.
    • Domain Analysis: Examines specific areas or domains of behavior to identify patterns.
    • Pattern Matching: Compares observed behaviors to predefined patterns or categories.
  3. Application in Cyber Security:
    • Grouping Behaviors: Security behaviors such as password management, phishing awareness, and incident reporting can be grouped into typologies to identify key areas for intervention.
    • Interconnected Behaviors: Understanding how different behaviors influence each other can help in designing more effective interventions.

Key Paper for Reference:

  • Stapley, E., O’Keeffe, S., & Midgley, N. (2022). “Developing typologies in qualitative research: The use of ideal-type analysis.” International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 21. This paper provides detailed methodologies for creating typologies, which can be applied to categorize and analyze security behaviors in cybersecurity practice.

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