Beyond Anonymity: Designing for High-Psychological-Resistance Behaviors in Human–Computer Interaction

When beneficial digital behaviors intersect with sociocultural norms and identity-related risks, users may experience a persistent intention–action gap. This study conceptualizes such challenges as high-psychological-resistance behaviors (HPRB), in which individuals recognize an action’s value yet remain reluctant to enact it because of intensified social, emotional, and cultural constraints. Focusing on women’s health information disclosure in a mainland Chinese high-context collectivist setting, we adopt a sequential mixed-methods design integrating interviews, survey-based structural equation modeling, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, and a behavioral A/B design experiment. Across 30 interviews, a 760-response screened pool with 380 cases retained for inferential analyses, and controlled interface testing, findings show that psychological resistance emerges from perceived social risk, internalized shame, and constraints on self-expression. Perceived anonymity, emotional support, and informational support jointly mitigate resistance. We develop a context-grounded HPRB framework and offer design implications for restoring user agency in sensitive HCI contexts.