Heuristic Cues Research Articles

Integration patterns in the use of metadata for data sense‐making during relevance evaluation: An interpretable deep learning‐based prediction

AbstractIntegrating diverse cues from metadata to make sense of retrieved data during relevance evaluation is a crucial yet challenging task for data searchers. However, this integrative task remains underexplored, impeding the development of effective strategies to address metadata's shortcomings in supporting this task. To address this issue, this study proposes the “Integrative Use of Metadata for Data Sense‐Making” (IUM‐DSM) model. This model provides an initial framework for understanding the integrative tasks performed by data searchers, focusing on their integration patterns and associated challenges. Experimental data were analyzed using an interpretable deep learning‐based prediction approach to validate this model. The findings offer preliminary support for the model, revealing that data searchers engage in integrative tasks to utilize metadata effectively for data sense‐making during relevance evaluation. They construct coherent mental representations of retrieved data by integrating systematic and heuristic cues from metadata through two distinct patterns: within‐category integration and across‐category integration. This study identifies key challenges: within‐category integration entails comparing, classifying, and connecting systematic or heuristic cues, while across‐category integration necessitates considerable effort to integrate cues from both categories. To support these integrative tasks, this study proposes strategies for mitigating these challenges by optimizing metadata layouts and developing intelligent data retrieval systems.

Do Heuristic Cues Affect Misinformation Sharing? Evidence From a Meta-Analysis

Information overload in online environments leads individuals to be more likely to rely on heuristic cues to make decisions about (mis)information sharing. Drawing on dual-process models of information processing, namely the heuristic–systematic model and the elaboration likelihood model, we conducted a meta-analysis of 31 individual studies to examine the combined effects of five major heuristic cues on misinformation sharing. The results revealed that the affective heuristic of anxiety exerted the strongest impact on misinformation sharing ( r = .343), followed by three cognitive heuristics: the self-confirmation heuristic ( r = .249), endorsement heuristic ( r = .125), and fact-checking heuristic ( r = -.115)—but not the authority heuristic. The endorsement misinformation receives, consistency between misinformation and individuals’ prior attitudes or beliefs, anxiety people feel, and absence of fact-checking labels all make people more likely to share misinformation. Moderation analyses also highlight the importance of considering contextual and cultural factors in future research.

“You’re fired”: the influence of heuristic-systematic processing in communication and termination decisions in organizational environments

PurposeDecisions regarding the termination of organizational members are not only common but also represent difficult actions for managers. Despite their importance and frequency, managers often make or avoid them based on incomplete or faulty decision-making criteria. Previous research suggests that decision-makers are subject to internal influences that play significant roles in their decision-making.Design/methodology/approachUsing a controlled between-groups experimental design, this study, guided by the heuristic-systematic model, tested to what extent decision-makers rely on heuristic cues versus the systematic processing of more relevant information when making termination decisions.FindingsFindings suggest the order in which information is presented influences participants’ decision-making and influences the information-processing structure.Practical implicationsFindings suggest practical considerations for managers, management trainees and others who engage in termination decisions as to potential influencing factors.Originality/valueThis research adds to the understanding of the decision-making process in organizational contexts.

The moderating role of government heuristics in public preferences for redistribution

A theory of rational attitude formation suggests public perceptions that income differences are too large should lead to demands for income redistribution. Public opinion scientists irregularly observe this at best. It is possible that the instruments we use to observe support for income redistribution are ineffective. We suggest at least part of the inconsistently observed linkages are due to unobserved confounding of government heuristics. We hypothesize that government affect provides a heuristic cue for survey respondents to answer questions on their preference for the government engaging in income redistribution. The greater the valence or quantity of reasons for a survey respondent to have negative government affect, the more perceptions of inequality and support for redistribution are decoupled and apparently inconsistent. To test this, we measured government affect at the country-time level using trust, corruption perceptions, and economic performance. We executed tests of moderation using slopes-as-outcomes regressions with ISSP data from 36 countries in 102 country-time points. Given the difficulty in fitting complex theories of society and politics into a limited number of macro-comparative cases, we ran a multiverse analysis of alternatively plausible models. There is a consistent negative moderation effect across models suggesting that our theory of government affect as opinion expression on a survey is worthy of further consideration. The findings also suggest more qualitative cognitive survey interviews to better understand this process.

The effects and mechanism of discounting unit price

PurposeSupermarket promotions typically use a standard label, which displays the regular price, discounted price and discounted unit price. Visits to supermarkets across multiple countries found that none used a price label that also contains the regular (i.e. pre-discounted) unit price. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a dual unit-price label that includes the regular unit price as a reference price, and what underpins its efficacy in enhancing promotion attractiveness.Design/methodology/approachThe authors executed four studies, supported by three supplemental studies. Study 1 established external validity through a natural instore experiment. Studies 2 and 3 tested the dual unit-price label with different pack sizes and assortment sizes, respectively. Finally, Study 4 tested the underpinning mechanism of the efficacy of the dual unit-price label.FindingsIn Study 1, daily sales records over four weeks showed that dual unit-price label promotions had larger sales volume than standard-label promotions. Study 2 showed a larger pack size, a heuristic cue for greater economy and increased preference for dual unit-price label promotions. Study 3 similarly found that the dual unit-price label was preferred more as cognitive load was increased by assortment size. Finally, Study 4 demonstrated the dual processing of the dual unit-price label, using a conscious preference measure (information provided) and an unconscious implicit attitude test.Research limitations/implicationsUnit-price research has mainly considered a cognitive process. The authors demonstrated the importance of considering a heuristic process.Practical implicationsSupermarkets can use this simple and yet effective tool to improve promotion effectiveness.Originality/valueThis study demonstrates that the dual unit-price label is a new and easy tool to enhance sales promotions, which academic research and managerial practice had never considered previously.

A Study on the Revenge Travel Intention in the Endemic Era: Using the Theory of Planned Behavior and Heuristic Cues

A Study on the Revenge Travel Intention in the Endemic Era: Using the Theory of Planned Behavior and Heuristic Cues

The Story My Friend Told Me: Examining the Interplay of Message Format and Relational Closeness in Misinformation Correction

ABSTRACT Narrative messages have been considered a potentially useful tool for correcting misinformation. However, prior research has found that the effect of narrative condition is often moderated by other communication characteristics. On social media, the relational closeness to an information endorser may serve as a heuristic cue to the endorser’s trustworthiness, ultimately influencing the acceptance of the endorsed information. In the current study, a 2 (message format: narrative vs. non-narrative) × 2 (relational closeness: distant vs. close friend) between-subjects online experiment tested the effects of narrative communication in correcting misinformation related to nicotine replacement therapy, conditioned by relational closeness to the person endorsing the correction on social media. The effects of the correction messages and relational closeness to the endorsers were assessed in an immediate test (T1) and a one-week delayed test (T2). When the correction was imagined to be endorsed by a close friend, narrative correction was more effective in increasing perceived trustworthiness of the correction endorser, leading to more favorable persuasion outcomes including T1 beliefs, T1 attitude, T2 beliefs, and T2 attitude. The indirect effect was not significant if participants imagined the correction was endorsed by a distant friend.

How Product Background Color Combination in Brand Post Affects Product Evaluation on Instagram

The influence of visual content and heuristic cues on product evaluation, such as color composition on Instagram, remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the influence of product background color combinations (similar vs. contrastive) on product evaluation. Two empirical analyses were conducted, and the findings revealed that when the color is similar between product and background, it can significantly influence product evaluation in both brand layout and post situations on Instagram. The product type (functional vs. sensory-social) was found to moderate the relationship between product background color and product evaluation. This study contributes to the existing literature on color theory and visual marketing research, providing valuable practical implications and novel insights for leveraging color cues when presenting products on brand Instagram accounts.

The Influence of Cognitive and Emotional Factors on Social Media Users' Information-Sharing Behaviours during Crises: The Moderating Role of the Construal Level and the Mediating Role of the Emotional Response.

Understanding the intricate dynamics of social media users' information-sharing behaviours during crises is essential for effective public opinion management. While various scholarly efforts have attempted to uncover the factors influencing information sharing through different lenses, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Building upon the heuristic-systematic model (HSM) and construal level theory (CLT), this study explores the complex mechanisms that govern social media users' information-sharing behaviours. The results indicate that both cognition and emotion play crucial roles in shaping users' information-sharing behaviours, with systematic cues having the most significant impact on information-sharing behaviours. In terms of heuristic cues, positive emotions are more influential on information-sharing behaviours than primary cognition and negative emotions. Furthermore, spatial distance emerges as a key moderator, influencing individuals' levels of engagement in information sharing. Emotion also acts as a mediator, connecting cognition to information sharing. This study provides insights into the sophisticated mechanisms of information sharing during crises, offering valuable implications for emergency management agencies to utilise social media for targeted public opinion guidance.

Not all consumer-generated images are attractive and persuasive: A heuristic cue perspective

This study explored how the features of consumer-generated images (CGIs) influence consumers' attention and purchase intention in both browsing and buying stages of online shopping, as well as the mediation of these effects. We consider the common features of image reviews (e.g. brightness, clarity, product displaying proportion and consistency) as heuristic cues evaluated by consumers. We posit that image brightness, clarity and product displaying proportion are product irrelevant cues associated with CGI attractiveness in the browsing stage, whereas product consistency is a product relevant cue associated with CGI attractiveness and purchase intention during the buying stage. Eye-tracking experiments with 127 undergraduates using Parka products support our hypotheses. The results indicate a positive correlation between the quality of product-irrelevant cues and CGI attractiveness in browsing, and a similar positive association with product-relevant cues during buying. The results also show that both product relevant and irrelevant cues are positively associated with consumers’ purchase intention, mediated by eliciting emotional arousal rather than visual attention. This study extends the literature by shifting the focus from assessing the overall aesthetic quality of CGIs to the importance of specific features in different online shopping stages. The study provides important implications for e-commerce platforms to strategically encourage users to submit CGIs that maintain consistency with the merchant-provided images and exhibit high image quality attributes such as brightness and clarity. Future research should explore CGIs across different product types to understand their varying roles.

“Trust Me, I’m a Doctor.” How TikTok Videos from Different Sources Influence Clinical Trial Participation

ABSTRACT This study experiments with TikTok videos to promote clinical trial participation. More specifically, it examines how short-form video sources (doctors vs. prior volunteers for clinical trials) influence perceived source credibility, self-efficacy, and behavioral intention to participate in clinical trials. Findings from this online experiment (N = 396) showed that doctor sources led to greater behavioral intention through enhancing source credibility compared to prior volunteer sources. Alternatively, prior volunteer sources increased behavioral intention via enhanced self-efficacy for participants with low trust in doctors. These findings contribute to the understanding of how short-form video sources act as heuristic cues, leading to persuasion outcomes. Overall, we recommend featuring doctors when using video-based messages to promote clinical trial participation. Also, this study emphasizes the need for health communication practitioners to consider prior volunteers as spokespersons when targeting populations with low baseline trust in doctors.

The golden-mean fallacy: A medium-attractiveness face predicts less funding on a crowdfunding platform

We examine the effects of facial attractiveness stereotyping in reward-based crowdfunding decisions. Our findings indicate that to a certain extent, a project creator's facial attractiveness is a valid heuristic cue that influences the evaluation of the project's future potential. Based on a large dataset, we propose a U-shaped relationship between project creators’ facial attractiveness and crowdfunding performance. The results imply that potential backers believe that projects initiated by creators whose facial attractiveness is either high or low (vs. medium) have greater future potential, leading to better crowdfunding performance. Additionally, we find that the effects of attractiveness are moderated by the narrative person used in the project introduction and by project updates on the project's progress schedule. Specifically, the U-shaped effect is stronger when attractive (vs. less attractive) project creators describe their projects in first- (vs. third-) person narration, and the effects of facial attractiveness are also enhanced by project updates. Our findings suggest that facial attractiveness is an actionable funding tool, thereby extending our understanding of the complex effect of facial attractiveness in funding.

Revealing consumer review attitude through online review and website cues

PurposeConsumer-perceived review attitude determines consumer overall information adoption and is a core part of consumer’s online-shopping. This study aims to focus on factors that could influence consumer review attitude and can be used by marketers to shape individual information perception.Design/methodology/approachThe study used the questionnaire method to collect data from online shoppers and the modelling of structural equations as an empirical approach to analyse the data.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that both systematic and heuristic cues impact the reviewer’s credibility and perceived website attitude differently, which, in turn, influence review attitude. Review characteristics, such as factuality, consistency and relevancy, have a positive relationship with reviewer credibility, while only review consistency and relevancy appears to have a relationship with review attitude. Website characteristics such as reputation, familiarity and social interactivity positively influence the website attitude, which positively influences review attitude. Apart from this, review skepticism has a significant negative relationship with review attitude.Practical implicationsThis study could help to foster a positive attitude towards online reviews. Digital marketers need to motivate trusted reviewers to post consistent, fact-based reviews. Further improving the overall website reputation and interactivity could bring a positive attitude towards the reviews. Also, digital marketers must filter and avoid contradictory reviews or reviews that have a bipolar message and reviews expressing numerous emotions to enhance review relevance and consistency.Originality/valueThe current study addresses the need to understand the formation of consumer review attitude through both review and website characteristics using heuristic – systematic model. The paper captures the complex process undergone by the consumer to decipher review attitude and thereby extend the understanding of consumer information processing.

A review of the impact of decision heuristics on calorie underestimation and the implications for unhealthy eating

PurposeThe global rise in obesity can be closely linked to excessive calorie consumption and misperceptions regarding food intake. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to review the existing literature to have a better understanding how heuristic cues – mental shortcuts used for decision-making – impact calorie underestimation and consequently lead to unhealthy eating habits.Design/methodology/approachA search was conducted across multiple databases with priority given to studies in developed countries that provided insights into the cognitive processes behind food choices, the application of specific heuristics, and the association with eating behaviours. Articles were also selected based on their methodological quality.FindingsThe main findings are that the dichotomous categorization of foods as healthy or unhealthy can result in underestimating the calorie content in those foods perceived as healthy. Although nutrition claims, health claims and campaigns help in the fight against obesity, there is also the risk that consumers’ reliance on heuristic-based decision-making could aggravate the problem because a misinterpretation or misrepresentation could lead to calorie underestimation and overeating.Practical implicationsTo establish effective behavioural interventions for obesity prevalence -, it is critical for interventions and policies to understand how consumers perceive calorie content and how they interpret claims on food marketing or packaging. Recognizing and addressing these heuristic-driven biases and understanding the factors influencing food choices are crucial for encouraging healthier eating habits.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the only review to date that consolidates research on the topic, drawing from multiple disciplines.

Emojis as heuristic cues: The multifaceted role of emojis in online service interactions

AbstractRecent technological advances have allowed businesses to adopt emojis when interacting with consumers. To gain in‐depth theoretical and managerial insight into this trend, five pre‐registered studies (1 field observation and four controlled experiments) indicate that emojis in digital communication work as heuristic cues that might have a differential effect depending on elaboration likelihood and outcome valence. Drawing on the Heuristic Information Processing and elaboration likelihood model, this research reveals that emojis can systematically influence consumers' elaboration. Findings indicate that low elaboration in positive encounters results in a positive heuristic cue boost (emojis improve customer evaluation). In turn, high elaboration on negative service outcomes makes the heuristic content relevant, such that positive (vs. negative) emojis will bring attention to and reinforce the interaction's positive (vs. negative) aspects. This research contributes to emerging studies on the role of emojis in digital communication.

Physical attractiveness, same-sex stimuli, and male venture capitalists' financial risk-taking.

Financial risk-taking is central to venture capital decision-making, which is increasingly approached from a heuristics and biases perspective. While previous research has identified entrepreneurs’ physical attractiveness as an important heuristic cue in VCs’ investment decisions, this study addresses the role of VCs’ own physical attractiveness in relation to the financial risks they take. Using a dataset for a representative sample of 341 male entrepreneur and male VC dyads in the context of stage financing, this study finds that VCs of below-average attractiveness are more sensitive to the physical attractiveness of the entrepreneur when compared to VCs of average attractiveness. Also, the nature of this effect changes from the first to the second investment round for VCs of below-average attractiveness. Combined, these findings imply that VCs’ funding decisions may be subject to mechanisms that stem from their own physical attractiveness. Theoretical implications for VC decision-making and same-sex stimuli are discussed.

UV arrows descend from above: lessons from a mass media campaign to improve sun protection behaviours among young adults.

More than 95% of melanomas in Australia are caused by UV radiation from the sun. Young adults are particularly at risk, with 18-24-year-olds spending more time in the sun and protecting their skin less than older adults. A new mass media campaign was delivered in New South Wales, Australia, to motivate this hard-to-reach group to protect their skin from harmful UV radiation. This paper shares learnings from this campaign for public health educators working across diverse fields. Guided by audience research and testing, the campaign combined fear-based and self-efficacy messaging. UV radiation was portrayed as arrows descending from the sky, transforming it into a visible and ever-present threat. High-reach channels such as cinema, outdoor advertising, online videos, audio apps and social media were used to reach the audience. The campaign was evaluated through an online tracking survey (n = 750, 18-24-year-olds) measuring prompted recognition, message take-out, key diagnostics, and self-reported sun protection intentions and behaviours. The evaluation found that 57% of survey participants recognised the campaign when prompted. Among those that recognised the campaign, 76% said they had used sun protection when outdoors over the summer campaign period (vs 64% of non-recognisers, p < 0.05), and 45% said they had adopted at least three of the five sun protection behaviours (Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide) 'always' or 'often' (vs. 36% of non-recognisers, p < 0.05). A mass-media campaign that aimed to elicit emotional (fear) and cognitive (perceived efficacy) responses and which drew upon social and heuristic cues was associated with greater self-reported sun protection among the target audience. Delivering a combination of message strategies simultaneously within a campaign tailored to young adults may be more effective than adopting a more singular focus.

Strategies for Assessing Health Information Credibility Among Older Social Media Users in China: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT The fact that social media gives users easy access to online health information raises the question of what information evaluation strategies older adults use to distinguish trustworthy from unreliable health information. Identifying how older adults assess the credibility of health information that they acquire on social media is an important step toward understanding and reducing their susceptibility to health misinformation. In this study, we investigated the credibility assessment strategies used by older WeChat users in China. Following a qualitative approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with 40 WeChat users 65–85 years old (M = 71.75, SD = 6.65) in China who had acquired health information on WeChat. Results of theoretical thematic analysis revealed five source-based and content-based evaluative strategies: (1) determining the communicative orientation of the source, (2) assessing source reputation, (3) confirming content based on life experiences, (4) checking for exaggeration in claimed effects, and (5) assessing the consistency of content across sources. Older WeChat users’ reliance on certain heuristic cues and their self-reliant approach to assessing information credibility provide contextual explanations for the link between heuristic processing and susceptibility to health misinformation. The findings have implications for anti-misinformation interventions targeting the older population in China and potentially beyond.

Recycled or reusable: A multi‐method assessment of eco‐friendly packaging in online retail

AbstractThe rapid growth of online retail increases the demand for packaging. Although packaging is necessary to fulfill logistic and marketing functions, it fosters the depletion of resources, is often used carelessly, and thus negatively impacts the environment. Eco‐friendly packaging variants could provide a solution to this problem. Since many stakeholders must be involved to promote their use, this study develops a conceptual framework that reconciles their different perspectives and combines these with an environmental assessment to facilitate the transition to more sustainable online retail. We apply a multi‐method research approach to investigate the different views. We use qualitative interviews and website analyses to capture the perspective of online retailers, conduct an online survey (n = 1491) to investigate consumers’ perceptions of various product and transport packaging alternatives, and perform a life cycle assessment (LCA) of these options. The findings reveal that online retailers lack knowledge regarding consumer preferences and the environmental impact of packaging. The consumer survey shows a strong preference for packaging made from recycled paper and general avoidance of plastic packaging. The LCA results reveal that recycled and reusable variants are environmentally beneficial. The findings are interpreted in light of the relationships assumed in the conceptual framework. From a theoretical perspective, our results indicate that online retailers are concerned about the signaling role of packaging and that consumers refer to heuristic cues when deciding between packaging variants. We reconcile the different perspectives to propose strategies that contribute to a broader distribution of eco‐friendly packaging in online retail.

Watching the Watchdogs: Using Transparency Cues to Help News Audiences Assess Information Quality

The myriad of information sources available online can make it hard for the average reader to know whether a piece of content is credible or not. This research aims to understand if the public’s assessment of the credibility of information could be more accurate with the help of transparency features that act as heuristic cues under the elaboration likelihood model and the heuristic-systematic model, and if the cues increase cognitive absorption. Two between-subjects studies were performed, one with a young demographic (&lt;em&gt;N&lt;/em&gt; = 68) and another with a representative sample of the adult population (&lt;em&gt;N&lt;/em&gt; = 325). The stimuli contained information boxes designed to indicate that the story was not written in a traditional journalistic style (message cues) and missing background information on the author (source cues). Results show significant effects of the cues on credibility assessment and cognitive absorption.