From the Privacy Calculus to Crossing the Rubicon: An Introduction to Theoretical Models of User Privacy Behavior

Abstract

Several theories and behavioral models aiming to explain user privacy behavior, including the privacy paradox, have been proposed in the literature. In this chapter, we give an introduction to the behavioral models that are most frequently used in privacy research, as well as those that originate in other contexts but nevertheless have the potential to make a meaningful contribution to explaining user privacy behavior. We further discuss to what extent the behavioral models help us to explain and predict privacy behaviors. The renowned privacy calculus model, for example, falls short in this respect since it remains unclear which consequences are evaluated by the user, whereas other models such as the theory of planned behavior can offer novel insights when combined with models such as HAPA or COM-B that are so far unfathomed in the context of privacy research.