Perceived Self versus Others: Assessing Psychometric Properties of the Two Versions of Perceived Anonymity Online Scale
Perceived anonymity online (PA) plays a critical role in shaping online interactions, influencing communication and behavior in virtual environments. Despite its importance, research on perceived anonymity online remains fragmented, particularly in understanding differences between how individuals perceive their own anonymity versus that of others. This study aims to address these gaps by analyzing data measuring PA of self and of others from a newly developed scale on PA online. The scale was developed drawing from established psychological theories and was systematically tested across three separate data collections on a robust Czech sample of adults (18-54; N=1971 in the first round). This study specifically aims to explore the similarities and differences in the structure in relation to responses to self and other anonymity. The goal is to present the result of the analytical process and seek feedback on the procedure and interpretation from colleagues with experiences with similar comparisons.