Unveiling Privacy Fatigue: Theoretical Foundations and Empirical Evidence in Privacy Calculus

The current challenges of managing personal data make individuals feel that there is no effective way to manage their personal information in the digital space, contributing to privacy fatigue. Drawing on person-environment fit theory, this study positions privacy fatigue as a distinct strain-based mechanism that undermines the rational-choice assumption of privacy calculus. Survey results from 401 Internet users suggest that greater perceived misfit between individuals and the privacy environment corresponds to higher privacy fatigue. Multi-group analysis further suggests that privacy calculus becomes attenuated under high-fatigue states, with perceived risks and benefits showing weaker associations with disclosure intentions. These findings explain inconsistent privacy attitudes and behaviors as a plausible outcome of psychological strain and extend person-environment fit theory into digital privacy. This study contributes to information privacy research by establishing privacy fatigue as a core explanatory mechanism and demonstrating its pivotal role in privacy decision-making.