Smartphone Addiction and Cybercrime Victimization in the Context of Lifestyles Routine Activities and Self-Control Theories: The User’s Dual Vulnerability Model of Cybercrime Victimization

Juan Herrero, Andrea Torres, Pep Vivas, Antonio Hidalgo, Francisco J. Rodríguez and Alberto Urueña
Additional contact information
Juan Herrero: Department of Psychology, Universidad de Oviedo, 33000 Oviedo, Spain
Andrea Torres: Department of Psychology, Universidad de Oviedo, 33000 Oviedo, Spain
Pep Vivas: Department of Psychology, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), Rambla del Poblenou, 156, 08018 Barcelona, Spain
Antonio Hidalgo: Departamento de Ingeniería de Organización, Administración de Empresas y Estadística ETSI Industriales José Gutiérrez Abascal, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), 2. 28006-Madrid, Spain
Francisco J. Rodríguez: Department of Psychology, Universidad de Oviedo, 33000 Oviedo, Spain
Alberto Urueña: Departamento de Ingeniería de Organización, Administración de Empresas y Estadística ETSI Industriales José Gutiérrez Abascal, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), 2. 28006-Madrid, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 7, 1-11

Abstract: (1) Background: This paper combines lifestyle-routine activities (L-RAT) and self-control (SCT) theories along with the literature on smartphone addiction in a joint model that addresses the multiple vulnerabilities that make the smartphone user a potential victim of cybercrime. This model, which we call the dual vulnerability model of cybercrime victimization, was subjected to empirical testing on a nationally representative sample of smartphone users. (2) Methods: Data from 2837 participants from a nationally representative sample of Spanish smartphone users were modeled using Mplus causal modeling software. (3) Results: The results of the study confirm the predictions of L-RAT and SCT in explaining cybercrime victimization (higher cybercrime victimization under conditions of high exposure, proximity, and suitability, relative absence of capable guardian, and low self-control). A significant effect of smartphone addiction on cybercrime victimization was also observed above and beyond L-RAT and SCT predictors. (4) Conclusions: The potential victim of cybercrime presents a double vulnerability, on the one hand, those identified by criminological theories such as L-RAT and SCT, and on the other hand, those derived from the deregulated-addicted use of the Internet access device (smartphone in our work).

Keywords: cybercrime victimization; lifestyle-routine activities theory; self-control theory; smartphone addiction; national sample; dual vulnerabilities model of cybercrime victimization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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