Measuring attitude towards personal data for adaptive cybersecurity

Purpose: This paper presents an initial development of a Personal Data Attitude (PDA) measurement instrument based on established psychometric principles. The aim of the research was to develop a reliable measurement scale for quantifying and comparing attitudes towards personal data that can be incorporated into cybersecurity behavioral research models. Such a scale has become necessary for understanding individuals’ attitudes towards specific sets of data as more technologies are being designed to harvest, collate, share and analyze personal data. Design/methodology/approach: An initial set of 34 five-point Likert style items were developed with 8 sub-scales and administered to participants online. The data collected were subjected to Exploratory and Confirmatory factor analysis and some MANOVA. The results are consistent with multi-dimensionality of attitude theories and suggest the adopted methodology for the study is appropriate for future research with a more representative sample. Findings: Factor analysis of 247 responses identified 6 constructs of individuals’ attitude towards personal data: Protective Behavior, Privacy Concerns, Cost-Benefit, Awareness, Responsibility and Security. This paper illustrates how the PDA scale can be a useful guide for information security research and design by briefly discussing the factor structure of the PDA and related results. Originality/value: This study addresses a genuine gap in the research by taking the first step towards establishing empirical evidence for dimensions underlying personal data attitudes. It also adds a significant benchmark to a growing body of literature on understanding and modelling computer users’ security behaviors

Rating scale development: a multistage exploratory sequential design

The project chosen to showcase the application of the exploratory sequential design in second/ foreign (L2) language assessment comes from the context of rating scale development and focuses on the development of a set of scales for a suite of high-stakes L2 speaking tests. The assessment of speaking requires assigning scores to a speech sample in a systematic fashion by focusing on explicitly defined criteria which describe different levels of performance (Ginther 2013). Rating scales are the instruments used in this evaluation process, and they can be either holistic (i.e. providing a global overall assessment) or analytic (i.e. providing an independent evaluations for a number of assessment criteria, e.g. Grammar, Vocabulary, Organisation, etc.). The discussion in this chapter is framed within the context of rating scales in speaking assessment. However, it is worth noting that the principles espoused, stages employed and decisions taken during the development process have wider applicability to performance assessment in general

Quantum Technology: The Second Quantum Revolution

We are currently in the midst of a second quantum revolution. The first quantum revolution gave us new rules that govern physical reality. The second quantum revolution will take these rules and use them to develop new technologies. In this review we discuss the principles upon which quantum technology is based and the tools required to develop it. We discuss a number of examples of research programs that could deliver quantum technologies in coming decades including; quantum information technology, quantum electromechanical systems, coherent quantum electronics, quantum optics and coherent matter technology.Comment: 24 pages and 6 figure

Measuring measuring: Toward a theory of proficiency with the Constructing Measures framework

This paper is relevant to measurement educators who are interested in the variability of understanding and use of the four building blocks in the Constructing Measures framework (Wilson, 2005). It proposes a uni-dimensional structure for understanding Wilson’s framework, and explores the evidence for and against this conceptualization. Constructed and fixed choice response items are utilized to collect responses from 72 participants who range in experience and expertise with constructing measures. The data was scored by two raters and was analyzed with the Rasch partial credit model using ConQuest (1998). Guided by the 1999 Testing Standards, analyses of validity and reliability evidence provide support for the construct theory and limited uses of the instrument pending item design modifications