Customer Data Vulnerability Scale

What it measures

Measures a customer's perception of susceptibility to being harmed as a result of a firm's access to or use of their personal data. Developed to operationalise data access vulnerability — the most benign form of a continuum that also includes breach, spillover, and manifest vulnerability. Anchored around feelings of insecurity and exposure stemming from firm data practices, regardless of whether actual harm has occurred.

Response format

7-point Likert (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree)

Scale items

• The personal information that the company has about me makes me feel insecure.
• The personal information that the company has about me makes me feel exposed.
• The personal information that the company has about me makes me feel threatened.
• The personal information that the company has about me makes me feel vulnerable.
• The personal information that the company has about me makes me feel susceptible.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

New scale developed and validated by Martin et al. (2017). Used in both experimental (Studies 1 and 3) and event-study (Study 2) designs. Reported separately as pre-event and post-event loadings; both sets show excellent reliability. Appropriate for measuring consumer responses to data access, breach, spillover, and manifest vulnerability contexts.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Martin, K.D., Borah, A., & Palmatier, R.W. (2017). Data privacy: Effects on customer and firm performance. Journal of Marketing, 81(1), 36–58.

Keywords