Sans Serif Founder David Shultz joined cybersecurity and human behavior professionals at the SANS Security Awareness: Managing Human Risk Summit 2024 to lead a session titled “Fear, Empathy, and Team Spirit: The Psychology of Cybersecurity Communication.”
Referencing successful historical behavior-change campaigns like Smokey Bear and World War II’s “Loose lips sink ships,” Shultz analyzed how seven contrasting motivators including shame, fear, competition, fun, empathy and others, can play different roles in effective cybersecurity messaging. Drawing on these case studies and work done by Sans Serif, he also explored how unexpected approaches emphasizing empathy and fun can win more attention, increase awareness more effectively, and boost sustained engagement that leads to real culture and behavior change.
Watch the full presentation, now available from SANS here.
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