The internet has become an integral part of our lives, offering a vast array of services and resources. However, not everyone benefits equally from what it has to offer.
This is where the fascinating research of Lisa Rosenberger, a Research Fellow at the Radboud Center for Decision Science and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Decision Neuroscience Lab at Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, comes into play.
Lisa's research focuses on understanding how people trust websites and apps, and the factors that influence this trust. Her work is part of a larger discourse on digital inclusion, aiming to identify specific groups that either naively trust websites too much or are highly distrusting towards them. The ultimate goal is to ensure that everyone can fully profit from the internet's potential.
When Lisa embarked on this research journey, she was surprised to discover that there is no consensus in the literature regarding the behaviors that reflect trust in a website. There is no definitive "if a user does X, they trust a website" guideline. While the tech industry may have insights into this, unfortunately, they do not readily share this information with academics.
Determined not to add noise to the ongoing discussion, Lisa decided to conduct a comprehensive study to characterize online trust behavior. The outcomes of her study will not only provide a solid foundation for her own research but also establish a common trust measure that researchers across the field can build upon. However, as with any research endeavor, Lisa soon realized that her research question was not as straightforward as she initially thought. Different types of websites elicit different behaviors from users. For instance, online banking requires different actions compared to social media usage. Moreover, a user's background, skills, and preferences may also impact how they trust a website. There are numerous intricate details to consider.
Fortunately, Lisa gets help from two excellent students, Huzefa Mandasaurwala and Sita Chumsena, in navigating through these nitty-gritty details. Together, they are determined to uncover the complexities of online trust behavior. The team is eagerly looking forward to commencing data collection soon. Their aim is to pinpoint the essence of online trust behavior, and use this as a starting point in our understanding of naively trusting and distrusting internet users.
Lisa Rosenberger's research holds immense promise to further digital inclusion and ensuring that everyone can harness the full potential of the internet. By shedding light on the intricacies of online trust behavior, her work will pave the way for a more secure and trustworthy digital landscape. Stay tuned for more updates on Lisa's research as she continues to unravel the mysteries of online trust behavior and works towards a more inclusive digital future!
