Social embeddedness of persuasion: effects of cognitive social structures on information credibility assessment and sharing in social media

Abstract

Implicit in prior research has been the assumption that any judgment about the credibility and value of information is made in an individualistic and socially isolated fashion. This assumption is no longer tenable in a social media environment wherein people are exposed to a great deal of information selectively fed to them by others with whom they have relationships. The current study examines the moderating effects of cognitive social structures manifested in the minds of social media users. The findings reveal that consideration of individuals regarding source expertise for credibility assessment and information-sharing decisions varies depending on their particular online social circumstances and how the individuals perceive these circumstances. This suggests that the manner in which people assess and share information in the social media environment is partly a function of how they make sense of their local social worlds.