EXPLORING THE SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF CYBERSECURITY IN SAUDI SOCIETY: TOWARDS A METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING AND ANALYSIS

This study explores the social representations of cybersecurity as a multidimensional social construct in Saudi society and validates a scale for analyzing its cultural, cognitive, behavioral, and institutional dimensions. Most of the literature focuses on technical aspects rather than sociological views. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional design with 755 subjects. Social dimensions were assessed using a scale developed by the researcher. To assess content validity, exploration and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted, and Cronbach’s alpha, split-half reliability, and internal consistency were calculated. The results showed that the five-factor model extracted is: cyber culture and society; cyber awareness and perception; trust and privacy in the digital environment; governance and social support; and digital practices. The results showed that cybersecurity is a socially embedded phenomenon, shaped by values, risk awareness, enacting practices, and governance arrangements. The scale has validity and reliability for research in Arab contexts. The research contributes to the theoretical by investigating social representations in cybersecurity and, methodologically, offering a multidimensional instrument for measurement.