Realizing the importance of the behavioral aspect of information security (ISec), researchers have adopted the protection motivation theory (PMT) and its variations as one of major theories to investigate security behaviors. This has made contributions to IS research and improved our knowledge on the role of threat and coping appraisals in promoting adaptive security behaviors. However, IS research still needs a further understanding on when and how threat and coping appraisals work to promote adaptive security behaviors or trigger maladaptive security behaviors. To address this issue, this study develops a research model adopting the extended parallel process model (EPPM) and employs the model in an empirical study. This study also introduces a discriminant value approach to explain the interplay effect of threat and coping appraisals. The results demonstrate that coping appraisal plays a more dominant role in promoting adaptive security behaviors, while fear elicits both adaptive and maladaptive security behaviors.
