Year: 2003
Type: article
Abstract: This research examines the factors affecting the credibility of online information.It uses the Elaboration Likelihood Model (Petty and Cacioppo 1986) as a theoretical framework, proposing a comprehensive model that includes factors from traditional means of communication and the Web.A field experiment was conducted that manipulated quality of content, reputation of the Web site owner, attractiveness, modality of exposure, and simulation.Out of these factors, quality of content and reputation of the Web site owner show statistical significance in the expected direction.Based on these results, design guidelines and suggestions for research procedure are proposed. Literature ReviewPrevious research on information credibility has looked at information delivered through traditional means of communication, but there is little research dealing with online information credibility assessment.The assessment of online information credibility differs to some degree from the assessment of information credibility from traditional sources, because online information has characteristics not available through traditional means of communication (Fogg et al. 2001;Königer and Janowitz 1995;Rieh 2002;Wathen and Burkell 2001).Research on persuasion and credibility explains message credibility based on the interaction of three factors: source, message, and receiver characteristics (Miller and Levine 1996;Self 1996).Source characteristics are a function of who sends the message.Judgments of source credibility involve a determination of the trustworthiness and expertise of the source.
Authors: Esperanza Huerta, Terry Ryan
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1491258479