information:filtering, quality:correction, structural:expansion
Privacy as personal control

Psychologist Carl A. Johnson has identified the psychological concept of “personal control” as closely tied to privacy. His concept was developed as a process containing four stages and two behavioural outcome relationships, with one’s outcomes depending on situational as well as personal factors. Privacy is described as “behaviors falling at specific locations on these two dimensions”.

Johnson examined the following four stages to categorize where people exercise personal control: outcome choice control is the selection between various outcomes. Behaviour selection control is the selection between behavioural strategies to apply to attain selected outcomes. Outcome effectance describes the fulfillment of selected behaviour to achieve chosen outcomes. Outcome realization control is the personal interpretation of one’s achieved outcome. The relationship between two factors– primary and secondary control, is defined as the two-dimensional phenomenon where one reaches personal control: primary control describes behaviour directly causing outcomes, while secondary control is behaviour indirectly causing outcomes. Johnson explores the concept that privacy is a behaviour that has secondary control over outcomes.

Lorenzo Magnani expands on this concept by highlighting how privacy is essential in maintaining personal control over one's identity and consciousness. He argues that consciousness is partly formed by external representations of ourselves, such as narratives and data, which are stored outside the body. However, much of our consciousness consists of internal representations that remain private and are rarely externalized. This internal privacy, which Magnani refers to as a form of "information property" or "moral capital," is crucial for preserving free choice and personal agency. According to Magnani, when too much of our identity and data is externalized and subjected to scrutiny, it can lead to a loss of personal control, dignity, and responsibility. The protection of privacy, therefore, safeguards our ability to develop and pursue personal projects in our own way, free from intrusive external forces.

Acknowledging other conceptions of privacy while arguing that the fundamental concern of privacy is behavior selection control, Johnson converses with other interpretations including those of Maxine Wolfe and Robert S. Laufer, and Irwin Altman. He clarifies the continuous relationship between privacy and personal control, where outlined behaviours not only depend on privacy, but the conception of one’s privacy also depends on his defined behavioural outcome relationships.