Awareness regarding cyber safety

Aim

To study the concept of cyber safety and awareness among young adults using survey research
method.

Basic concept

Research in psychology and methods at our disposition

Research in psychology, as defined by Mertins and D.M. (2014), is a systematic process aimed at
understanding, describing, predicting, or controlling psychological phenomena through the
empirical collection, analysis, interpretation, and use of data. This approach seeks to provide
insights into human behavior and mental processes, distinguishing itself from other forms of
inquiry like intuition. W. Lawrence Neuman highlights the importance of empirical evidence and
rigorous methods in psychological research, which involves several key steps: formulating a
research question, reviewing existing literature, developing a testable hypothesis, designing the
study, collecting data through various means (such as experiments and surveys), analyzing that
data, drawing conclusions based on the analysis, and sharing results with the scientific
community. Together, these steps ensure the reliability and validity of research findings.

There are various methods which are used in research such as case studies, observation,
interview, survey, questionnaire, self-report, psychological test and many more.

A survey is a method of collecting information from a group of people using questions,

often through online forms, paper questionnaires, phone, or face-to-face interviews. It is a widely
used social science technique, known as correlational research, where researchers control
variables and analyze their associations, using control variables to rule out alternative
explanations.

Case study is a research method that involves an in-depth, detailed examination of a

particular subject. Case-study research explores detailed aspects of a few cases, such as
individuals, groups, or events, using comprehensive and diverse data. It often employs
qualitative methods but can include quantitative elements. By examining internal details and
broader contexts, case studies connect individual actions to larger social structures and processes,
as Walton (1992) highlighted.

Observation is also a research method which is widely used in social sciences,

psychology, anthropology etc. Observation involves employing systematic, organized, and
objective procedures to record behavioral phenomena occurring naturally in real time. Certain
phenomena such as mother-child interactions can be easily studied through observation. The
major problems with observational methods are that the observer has little control over the
situation and the reports may suffer from subjective interpretations of the observer.

Self-report is a method in which a person provides factual information about

herself/himself and or opinions beliefs etc. Search information may be obtained by using an
interview schedule or a questionnaire, a psychological test, or personal diary.

Interview involves seeking information from a person on one-to-one basis. Interview can
be of two type structured and unstructured interviews. In structured interview all the questions
are asked sequence wise on the other hand in unstructured interview questions can be asked
randomly and not in a sequence. Some of the examples of interview are when counsellor
interacts with client, a salesperson makes a door-to-door survey etc. The duration of interview
are 15 to 20 minutes longer which can also be increased.

Psychological test is an objective and standardized measure of an individual, mental or

behavioral characteristics. Objective test has been made to develop all the dimensions of
psychological attributes.

Survey as research method

A survey is a method of collecting information from a group of people, often through a

series of questions. Surveys can be conducted in various formats, such as online forms, paper
questionnaires, phone interviews, or face-to-face interviews. It is most widely used social science
data gathering technique. Survey research is often called correlational. This is because survey
researchers control variable instead of experimental controls. In survey research we logically
determine the temporal order of variables and examine the association of correlation among
variables but to rule out alternative explanation we use control variable and examining the
statistical relations among them.
 Surveys can be used for many purposes, such as understanding customer satisfaction,
gathering feedback, conducting market research, or collecting data for academic studies. They
can be a useful supplement to laboratory studies, especially when conducted on large and diverse
samples. It involves asking a series of questions to gather information about their thoughts,
feelings, behaviors, or opinions on a particular topic. The data collected from surveys can then be
analyzed to identify trends, patterns, and insights.

If variables can be measured by having people answer questions, then the survey is a
good choice. Surveys are appropriate when research question is about self-reported beliefs or
behaviors. We can measure many variables and test several hypothesis in a single survey. There
are various aspects of social life that we can ask in a survey such as behavior,
attitude/belief/opinions, characteristics, expectations, self-classification, and knowledge. Avoid
asking direct questions related to social events or actions specifically the “why” questions.
Asking people directly does not always get a true reason or actual cause. There are various things
that need to be kept in mind while constructing a survey such as avoid slang and abbreviation,
avoid ambiguity confusion and vagueness, avoid emotional language, avoid prestige bias, do not
confuse belief with reality, avoid leading questions, avoid double barrel questions etc.

Definition of survey given by various psychologists:

According to Jean Piaget (1971) Survey is a tool to systematically gather data about cognitive
processes, especially in children.

According to Floyd Allport (1940), surveys are a systematic method for collecting data from a
population to understand their opinions, behaviours, and characteristics.

Characteristics of survey method:

Standardization: Uses structured questionnaires to ensure consistency in how questions

are asked, ensuring consistency in data collection.
Quantitative Data: can collect both numerical data for statistical analysis and descriptive
data (qualitative), providing a well-rounded picture.

Wide Reach: Can gather data from large, geographically dispersed populations.
Versatility: Can be administered through mail, online, face to face, telephone, or in
person.
 Cost-Effectiveness: Compared to other research methods, surveys can be relatively
inexpensive, especially when conducted online. More affordable than other methods for large
samples.
Anonymity: Can offer respondents privacy, encouraging more honest responses.
Fixed-Response Options: Often uses close-ended questions for easier analysis.
Ease of Analysis: Data collected through surveys can be easily coded, quantified, and
analyzed using statistical tools.
Large Sample Sizes: Surveys can reach a wide audience, which enhances the reliability

Advantages

There are numerous of advantages of survey method, which made survey method very
effective. Some of the advantages include; it is cost effective but cost depends on survey mode.
They can be conducted remotely via online, on mobile phones, and on telephone as well.
Another can be that it is capable of collecting data from large number of respondents. Survey
softwares comes under one of the important advantages as it is capable of measuring validity,
reliability, and can measure multiple variables at one time. Surveys often have wide reach to
geographically diverse population and can gather broad population responses. They are relatively
easier to administer among other research methods such as interviews, case studies etc. Surveys
are perfect for collecting emotional feedback using tools like likert scale, rating, ranking etc.

Disadvantages

Survey research method does also have its own limitations and disadvantages. An
important limitation of the survey method is that its data is only about what a person or
organization says. What a person says may differ from what he or she truly does or think. While
doing a survey respondents may feel bored if they lack information about the specific topic.
Surveys with closed-ended questions may have a lower validity rate than other question types.
Sometimes, poor survey design can lead to incorrect conclusion which can be the disadvantage.

Sociological facts and psychological theory

When conducting a survey on the relationship between sociological facts and psychological
theories, consider key elements like social structures, cultural norms, interpersonal relationships,
and socialization processes. Relevant psychological theories include Social Learning Theory,
Cognitive Dissonance Theory, Attachment Theory, and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Design
the survey with clear objectives, diverse demographic targeting, and a mix of question types,
ensuring ethical standards are met to explore how social factors influence individual behavior
and mental health outcomes.

There are various sociological factors such as age, gender, occupation

Relationship between psychological variables with sociological facts

History of survey

The roots of modern surveys can be traced back to ancient censuses, which were government
initiatives aimed at collecting information about populations within a specific area. A significant
example is the Domesday Book, a census of England carried out by William the Conqueror
between 1085 and 1086. Early censuses primarily focused on assessing property for taxation and
identifying young men for military service. As representative democracy developed, censuses
became essential for allocating elected representatives based on population and distributing
funds for public improvements.

In the nineteenth century, social research surveys emerged in response to social reform
movements in the United States and Great Britain, documenting urban conditions and poverty
stemming from early industrialization. Initially, these surveys were descriptive and lacked
scientific sampling and statistical analysis. Notable works from this period include Henry
Mayhew’s four-volume “London Labour and the London Poor” (1851-1864), based on
conversations with street individuals and daily observations. Similarly, Charles Booth’s
seventeen-volume “Labour and Life of the People of London” (1889-1902) and B. Seebohm
Rowntree’s “Poverty” (1906) explored urban poverty in England. In the United States, the Hull
House Maps and Papers (1895) and W. E. B. Du Bois’s “Philadelphia Negro” (1899)
documented urban conditions.

By the early twentieth century, the Social Survey Movement in Canada, Great Britain,
and the United States employed surveys in qualitative community studies to garner support for
sociopolitical reforms by interviewing individuals and documenting local conditions. By the
1940s, quantitative surveys began to replace earlier forms of survey research, providing detailed
empirical insights into specific areas by combining both quantitative and qualitative data to
address the issues arising from rapid industrialization.

Prominent figures in early social surveys, such as Florence Kelley, Jane Addams from the
Hull House and settlement movement, and W. E. B. Du Bois, faced challenges in securing
regular academic positions due to race and gender discrimination. Nevertheless, their work
provided valuable insights into community life in the early twentieth century. The six-volume
Pittsburgh Survey published in 1914 incorporated data from face-to-face interviews, health and
crime statistics, and direct observations.

In the 1920s and 1930s, researchers began employing statistical sampling techniques,
especially after the Literary Digest incident, leading to the development of attitude scales and
indexes to measure opinions and subjective beliefs more accurately. Various applied fields,
including agriculture, education, healthcare, journalism, marketing, public service, and
philanthropy, adapted survey techniques to gauge consumer behavior, public opinion, and
community needs.

The growth of survey research in the United States accelerated during World War II, as
academic social researchers collaborated with industry practitioners in Washington, D.C., to
support the war effort. This collaboration resulted in significant funding and government backing
for studies on civilian and soldier morale, consumer demand, production capacity, enemy
propaganda, and the effectiveness of bombing campaigns. This partnership enabled academics to
emphasize precise measurement, sampling, and statistical analysis while practitioners shared
their organizational expertise in conducting surveys.

Government officials and business leaders recognized the advantages of large-scale

surveys, while academic social scientists saw opportunities to deepen their understanding of
social events and test theories using survey data. However, after the war, the large government
survey framework was rapidly dismantled to cut costs and due to political conservatives'
concerns that survey data could be used to document social issues and advocate for policies they
opposed, such as support for unemployed workers or racial equality in segregated southern
states.
 In the post-war era, many researchers returned to academia and established new social
research organizations, such as the National Opinion Research Center at the University of
Chicago in 1947 and the Institute for Survey Research at the University of Michigan in 1949,
founded by Rensis Likert. Over the past two decades, researchers have concentrated on studying
the survey process itself, developing theories regarding communication interactions during
survey interviews, and enhancing questionnaire design, question wording, and ordering. They
have also tackled issues like social desirability bias, integrated computer technologies, and
explored factors influencing respondent cooperation and refusals. Today, survey research is
prevalent in various fields, including education, healthcare, management, marketing, policy
research, and journalism. Government entities at all levels conduct surveys to inform policy
decisions, while the private sector includes opinion polling firms, marketing research companies,
and nonprofit research organizations. Additionally, several professional organizations support
survey research practices.

Steps in conducting a survey

Step 1

Choosing a topic for a survey is the very first step as without a problem or topic survey
can’t be made. Develop hypothesis, decide on type of survey need to be chosen, and factors
should be kept in mind whether it is questionnaire, interview or survey. Decide on response
category and make design layout.

Step 2

Brainstorming and coming up with possible questions. How you phrase questions is very
important. Choose sample size, decide the target population. Then select sample. Resources
should also be kept in mind in terms of money and time.

Step 3

Do a pilot testing. Present findings to others for critique and evaluation. Plan how to
record data.

Step 4
 Once the pilot testing is done, make changes if needed. Then, locate respondents and do
the final conduction. Carefully record data.

Step 5

After everything is done, do the analysis of data, compare the methods and findings with the
researches, do review of literature. Write a report on research problem in detail along with its
objectives.

Different types of survey

Web survey

Web surveys also known as online Survey or questionnaire distributed and completed
over the internet. They are increasingly popular for collecting data from diverse groups. They are
widely used due to their accessibility and efficiency. Web based surveys over the internet are fast
and inexpensive. They allow flexible design and can use visual image or even audio or video in
some Internet versions. There are some concerns as well for web survey and the key areas are
coverage, privacy and verification. Self-reflection is a potential problem with web surveys.

Mail and administrated questionnaires

Mail and administered questionnaires are survey methods where questions are sent to
respondents by mail or administered in person, allowing them to complete the survey at their
own pace. Administrated questionnaires are conducted in person or via interviews, allowing for
clarification of questions but can be time-consuming and more resource-intensive. This type of
survey is inexpensive, and easy for a single researcher to conduct. Male questionnaires also offer
anonymity and avoid interviewer bias they can be effective and response rate may be sufficient if
we have an educated target population with strong interest in topic. The biggest problem with
mail questionnaire is a low response rate. Most questionnaires are returned with two weeks but
others trickle it up to 2 months later. The mail questionnaire format limits the kind of questions
that you can use. The mail questionnaire are ill suited for the illiterate or near illiterate or those
who do not read the dominant language.

Telephone interviews
Telephone interview is a survey method where an interviewer contacts respondent via phone to
ask a series of questions. This approach allows for real time interaction enabling clarification or
questions and more detailed responses it is faster than in person interview but may face
challenges like lower response rate and potential respondent bias. This type of survey is very
popular because almost the entire population can be reached by telephone. This process is
straight forward an interview calls respondent, ask question, and record answers. Higher cost and
limited interview length are among the disadvantages of telephone interview. In this open ended
questions are difficult to use and question requiring visual aids are impossible.

Face to face interview

Face to face interview is for data collection method where an interviewer meets with the
respondent in person to ask questions. This approach allows for in depth responses, nonverbal
communication observation, visual aids, and clarification of questions. Face to face interviews
have the highest response rate and permit the longest questionnaire. Well trained interviewers
can ask all type of questions, can ask complex question, and can use extensive probes. High cost
is the biggest disadvantage of face-to-face interview. The training, travels, supervision, and
personal costs for interview can be high interviewer bias is also greatest in face-to-face
interviews.

Open ended

An open-ended question asks a question to which respondents can give any answer most large-
scale surveys have closed ended questions because they are quicker and easier for both
respondent and researchers. They permit an unlimited number of possible answers. Respondent
can answer in detail and can qualify and clarify responses. In open ended question comparison
and statistical analysis became very difficult. They are valuable in early or exploratory stage of
research. For large scale survey open ended questions in pilot test can be used.

Close ended

In closed ended questions respondents select answers from the option given. In this question both
ask a question and give the respondent fixed response from which to choose. It is easier and
quicker for respondents to answer. The answers of different respondents are easier to compare.
The response choice can clarify question meaning for respondents. There are fewer irrelevant or
confused answer to questions. In close ended questions respondents can be frustrated because
their desired answer is not a choice. Respondents with no opinion or no knowledge can answer
anyway which can be an important limitation of this.

Literature Review
Present Research
The aim our present practical is to study the concept of cyber safety and awareness
among young adults using survey research method. We decided to choose this topic as in recent
times young adults spend extensive amount of time in using social media apps, dating apps etc.
As in today’s era, everyone has access to internet and young adults are the largest consumers so
the need was felt to study this concept. If we look then lots of social media platforms specially
instagram, facebook, and snapchat are potential threats for abuse and exploitation.

Every year lots of cases appeared such as blackmailing, message released from the chat,
photo morphing and many more. The people who face these cases may undergo unstable mental
states as their personal details are released. Various studies have also been done about how youth
are getting affected and how they should cope up with them. As internet now became basic need
for people so it has its own disadvantages and advantages.

Design
Sample
The survey was conducted online through google forms.
Precautions