Personality and situational predictors of insider threat: a vignette study.

IF 1.6 4区心理学 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Australian Journal of Psychology Pub Date : 2026-03-01 eCollection Date: 2026-01-01 DOI:10.1080/00049530.2026.2628384

Loch Forsyth, Tayla Ewens, Jeromy Anglim

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective: Insider threats pose a significant security risk, yet personality traits are rarely incorporated into detection and prevention efforts. This study offers the first systematic examination of how Dark Tetrad (i.e. Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism) and Big Five personality traits, together with situational motivators, predict the propensity to engage in three types of insider attacks.

Method: Participants (N = 470; 71% female; age M = 35.94, SD = 12.70) completed measures of the Dark Tetrad (SD3, SSIS) and Big Five domains and facets (BFI-2), then responded to three counterbalanced vignettes depicting National Security Espionage, Information Technology Sabotage, and Fraud. For each vignette, participants rated their likelihood of engaging in the behaviour under baseline conditions and when (a) aggrieved, (b) facing termination, or (c) able to secure a financial gain.

Results: Participants showed greater willingness to engage in fraud and information technology sabotage if they felt aggrieved or anticipated termination. Machiavellianism (r = .49), psychopathy (r = .50), and sadism (r = .53) showed strong positive associations with insider-attack propensity. Agreeableness (r = -.50) and conscientiousness (r = -.37) were the strongest Big Five predictors.

Discussion: The findings indicate that antagonistic and exploitative personality traits, combined with situational pressures, meaningfully shape intentions to engage in insider misconduct.

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内部威胁的个性和情境预测因素：一项小插曲研究。

目的：内部威胁构成重大安全风险，但人格特征很少被纳入检测和预防工作。这项研究首次系统地考察了黑暗四人格（即马基雅维利主义、自恋、精神病和施虐）和五大人格特征，以及情境激励因素如何预测参与三种类型内部攻击的倾向。方法：参与者（N = 470, 71%为女性，年龄M = 35.94, SD = 12.70）完成了黑暗四分体（SD3， SSIS）和五大领域和方面（BFI-2）的测量，然后对三个描述国家安全间谍，信息技术破坏和欺诈的平衡小插图做出反应。对于每个小插曲，参与者评估了他们在基线条件下以及在(a)受委屈、(b)面临解雇或(c)能够获得经济利益时从事这种行为的可能性。结果：如果参与者感到委屈或预期被解雇，他们更愿意从事欺诈和信息技术破坏活动。马基雅维利主义(r =；49)，精神变态(r =。虐待狂（r = .53）与内部攻击倾向呈显著正相关。亲和性（r = - 0.50）和责任心（r = - 0.37）是五大预测因素中最强的。讨论：研究结果表明，对抗性和剥削性的人格特征，加上情境压力，有意义地塑造了参与内部不当行为的意图。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Australian Journal of Psychology PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY-

CiteScore

5.50

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： Australian Journal of Psychology is the premier scientific journal of the Australian Psychological Society. It covers the entire spectrum of psychological research and receives articles on all topics within the broad scope of the discipline. The journal publishes high quality peer-reviewed articles with reviewers and associate editors providing detailed assistance to authors to reach publication. The journal publishes reports of experimental and survey studies, including reports of qualitative investigations, on pure and applied topics in the field of psychology. Articles on clinical psychology or on the professional concerns of applied psychology should be submitted to our sister journals, Australian Psychologist or Clinical Psychologist. The journal publishes occasional reviews of specific topics, theoretical pieces and commentaries on methodological issues. There are also solicited book reviews and comments Annual special issues devoted to a single topic, and guest edited by a specialist editor, are published. The journal regards itself as international in vision and will accept submissions from psychologists in all countries.