A quantitative diary study of perceptions of security in mobile payment transactions

While mobile payment services have been flourishing in China, users have continually questioned the security of these transactions. Although customization has been proposed as a vital factor for mobile commerce, minimal knowledge exists regarding how it affects users’ perceived security in mobile payment transactions. A quantitative diary study was therefore conducted to provide insight into the personality traits that motivate customization behaviors in security, and how such behaviors influence perceived security under different use contexts in relation to mobile payments. First, an instrument for the diary study was developed through an interview. Then, 134 responses from mobile payment users were used to examine the relationships between personality traits and customization behaviors. Among them, the diary was completed by 67 mobile payment users who reported their perceived security for 1094 recoded payment events across various use contexts for periods ranging between 5 and 15 days. The results showed that the personality traits of extraversion and intellect influence users’ customization behaviors and these behaviors have a positive effect on perceived security. Additionally, the relationship between customization behaviors and perceived security was moderated by the task and technical contexts. Based on these findings, design implications and opportunities for mobile payment services are described.