Source Expertise Research Articles

A Cognitive Toolbox for Persuasion. Perceived Diagnosticity and Persuasibility Bias of Persuasive Features

Persuasive features such as argument quality, source expertise, support, affect, consensus, source likability, and source attractiveness are linked to mental rules that vary in their reliability in supporting the persuasive process. We address these features as cognitive tools available to support judgments, investigating their self-other perceived diagnosticity and persuasibility, and using self-other differences as an index of perceived bias. Results show that participants explicitly consider argument quality, source expertise, and support (number of arguments) as diagnostic of the validity of a claim. Such diagnosticity predicted perceived persuasibility, and self-other differences linked non-diagnostic features to bias. We further discuss the relevance of these findings for a more comprehensive understanding of the cognitive toolbox that supports persuasive influences.

Understanding the Role of Follower Size in Influencer Marketing: Examining the Perspective of Source Credibility and Attribution Theory

Applying source credibility and attribution theory as a theoretical framework, this study aims to find the role of follower size on the success of influencer marketing, along with the mediating impacts of source trustworthiness and influencers’ motives and the moderating roles of source expertise and product types. A 4 (follower size: nano vs. micro vs. macro vs. mega) × 2 (source expertise: high vs. low) × 3 (product type: search vs. experience vs. credence) between-subjects design was employed. Data from an online experiment showed that the follower size leads to both the perception of source trustworthiness and extrinsic motive of influencers. When influencers are perceived as experts, it enhanced the effect of source trustworthiness on purchase intention and discounted the effect of follower size on consumers’ attribution to extrinsic motive. Further, the product type moderated the role of source expertise on purchase intention. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

The Impact of Red Story Online Videos on National Identity: An Empirical Study Based on Chinese University Students

This study aims to investigate the influence of content characteristics of Red Story online videos on national identity among university students. Through the recruitment of university students as participants, a comprehensive dataset comprising 320 responses was garnered via a questionnaire survey, of which 295 responses were deemed valid for robust analysis. Employing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and using Smart PLS 4.0 software, the study meticulously scrutinized the impact of various content attributes, including source expertise, source trustworthiness, visual aesthetics, narrative, and argument quality, on national identity. The findings reveal that while source trustworthiness, visual aesthetics, and argument quality have significant positive influence on national identity among university students, source expertise and narrative do not have significant influence. The findings of this study can contribute to the literature on national identity and provide new insights. Additionally, they can serve as a reference for the creation and dissemination of Red Story online videos.

COVID-19 vaccine reviews on YouTube: What do they say?

Abstract After the Covid-19 vaccination started, social media users created an enormous amount of content on the vaccines. Especially in the early stages of vaccination, people searched and watched YouTube videos sharing personal experiences after getting the vaccines (i.e., vaccine review videos), usually titled “I got the COVID-19 vaccine.” Few studies have examined the characteristics and impacts of vaccine review videos on viewers’ responses (e.g., likes, dislikes, comments). This study investigates the content of, and reactions to, the most-viewed Covid-19 vaccine review videos on YouTube, based on the social communication framework. A quantitative content analysis of 148 vaccine review videos revealed their unique characteristics, including source expertise, message valence, narration, and topics. Most of the videos had a positive tone, with some urging vaccination and showing pro-vaccine attitudes. Furthermore, source expertise and hybrid message types (messages conveyed in narrative and informative ways) were not significantly related to positive responses. Rather, non-expert videos received more positive responses. The findings concern the public opinions surrounding new vaccines, including related concerns and attitudes. Given the positive tone of the content, vaccine review content made by diverse groups can be encouraged by public health institutions regardless of the creators’ expertise.

유튜브 정보 및 정보원 특성이 소비자 만족에 미치는 영향

Background/Objectives: YouTube is increasingly being used as a channel for acqumng consumer information, and studies have highlighted generational differences in media consumption. This study aims to analyze variances in the perception of YouTube information characteristics and explore differences in factors influencing consumers' information search satisfaction between the younger and older generations.
 Methods: An online survey was conducted targeting people who had searched for information regarding product purchases on YouTube within the past month. A total of 366 responses were statistically analyzed via t-test, analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS 26.0.
 Results: The study revealed disparities m the perception of YouTube information characteristics and information source characteristics based on demographic features. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that accuracy and reliabili ty had a significant positive impact on consumer satisfaction in both age groups. The expertise and interactivity of the information source showed a significant effect only on the younger generation, whereas the originality and personalization of information had a significant impact on consumer satisfaction only in the older generation.
 Conclusion/Implications: This study holds academic significance and makes a unique contribution by identifying sub- dimensions of YouTube information characteristics. Furthermore, the study provides practical value by suggesting consumer information provision strategies for companies that intend to leverage YouTube for marketing.

Impact of information usefulness and adoption in social media on purchase intention :Evidence of Indonesia

The Product reviews on YouTube Channel offer information for consumers to evaluate products before making a decision. Understanding how consumers adopt the information and its impact on purchase intention becomes crucial. This study aims to determine the influence of information usefulness and information adoption on purchase intention on YouTube channels. The study developed a research model based on the Information Adoption Model (IAM) and Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). A survey design was employed to test the proposed linkages among variables with a sample size of 447 respondents by the purposive sampling method. The study deploys the partial least squares path modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the data. The results confirmed that relevance, comprehensiveness, source expertise, attitude toward information, and information usefulness positively affect information adoption and purchase intention. Additionally, attitude toward information has a positive influence on behavioral intentions. However, timeliness, accuracy, and source expertise do not have any significant relationship with the information usefulness

SOURCES OF VACCINE INFORMATION: MISGIVINGS AND TRUST ISSUES AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN NORTH DAKOTA

Abstract Older adults consistently have relatively high vaccination rates. What is not fully understood is how trust in immunization information sources impacts vaccine decision-making among older adults. This study examines older adults’ perceptions and decision-making processes for vaccines such as influenza, pneumonia, shingles, and COVID-19. Older adults (65+) in North Dakota (N=51) who participated in a larger survey study on vaccine behaviors voluntarily agreed to participate in a follow-up phone interview (November 2022-January 2023). Qualitative, semi-structured phone interviews focused on access, knowledge, and decision about vaccines. Interview transcripts were inductively coded for emergent themes related to trust. Three themes were identified: implicit trust in information sources, uncertainty who to trust for vaccine information, and regaining trust in information sources. Implicit trust focused on familiarity with sources of information (such as inherently trusting family members), source expertise (such as doctor recommendations), and reliability of sources (including if the source always provides accurate information). The second theme, uncertainty who to trust, stressed confusion over source inconsistency, such as changing positions on vaccines, or having opposing sources that both seem to be trustworthy. The final theme, regaining trust in information sources, highlighted if and how trust in a source of vaccine information could be recovered, including transparency, sincerity, and verifying immunization information through obtaining a second opinion. These findings contribute to the understanding of vaccine decision-making among older adults and provide focus areas for interventions to address lack of trust in information sources and improve immunization rates for this population.

Revealing complexities when adult readers engage in the credibility evaluation of social media posts

The internet, including social networking sites, has become a major source of health information for laypersons. Yet, the internet has also become a platform for spreading misinformation that challenges adults’ ability to critically evaluate the credibility of health messages. To better understand the factors affecting credibility judgements, the present study investigates the role of source characteristics, evidence quality, crowdsourcing platform, and prior beliefs of the topic in adult readers’ credibility evaluations of short health-related social media posts. Researchers designed content for the posts concerning five health topics by manipulating source characteristics (source’s expertise, gender, and ethnicity), accuracy of the claims, and evidence quality (research evidence, testimony, consensus, and personal experience) in the posts. Then, accurate and inaccurate posts varying in these other manipulated aspects were computer-generated. Crowdworkers (N = 844) recruited from two platforms were asked to evaluate the credibility of ten social media posts, resulting in 8380 evaluations. Before credibility evaluation, participants’ prior beliefs on the topics of the posts were assessed. Results showed that prior belief consistency and source expertise most affected the perceived credibility of accurate and inaccurate social media posts after controlling for the topic of the post. In contrast, the quality of evidence supporting the health claim mattered relatively little. In addition, the data collection platform had a notable impact, such that posts containing inaccurate claims were much more likely to be rated higher on one platform compared to the other. Implications for credibility evaluation theory and research are discussed.

Pengaruh Influencer Rachel Vennya terhadap Minat Beli Pelanggan di Instagram

The purpose of this study was to determine and analyze the effect of advertising disclosure on attractiveness in social media, determine and analyze the effect of advertising disclosure on trust in social media, determine and analyze the effect of advertising disclosure on skills in social media, determine and analyze the influence of the three components of source credibility on consumer buying interest on social media, and knowing and analyzing the influence of source expertise on consumer buying interest on social media. The samples taken are people who know Rachel Vennya on Instagram. The number of samples in this study is a minimum of 156 active Instagram users who know Rachel Vennya. The final data collected in this study were 251 respondents. Methods of testing and data analysis using Smart PLS. The results of this study indicate that there are significant results among all variables with the acquisition of a T-count > 3,000 to a P-Value of <0.05. These results show that Rachel Venya's advertisement disclosure by having attractiveness and expertise in promoting advertisements on her Instagram account has an influence on consumer trust, purchase intention, and interest.

(Over)Eating with Our Eyes: An Examination of Mukbang Influencer Marketing and Consumer Engagement with Food Brands

With the popularity and success of food-related social media content, food marketers have begun utilizing social media influencers to promote their food brands. In particular, mukbang—video broadcasts of individuals eating copious amounts of food—is a prominent genre of public social media food exhibition that can provide opportunities for food-related social media influencer marketing. The present study examines how parasocial interaction (i.e. nonreciprocal interpersonal relationships formed with media personalities) with a mukbang social media influencer impacts advertising effectiveness and information credibility. A total of 404 U.S. participants completed an online survey. Structural equation modeling found that participants’ parasocial interactions with mukbang social media influencers predicted perceived source trustworthiness, perceived source expertise, and credibility of the information regarding the food content posted. Furthermore, influencer source credibility and information credibility positively impacted consumer brand and video attitudes, as well as behavioral intentions to consume the foods featured in the social media content. Study results provide evidence-based implications for food-related social media influencer marketing strategies and insight into the important role of information credibility on eating behaviors of social media consumers.

Implementing Bounded Revision via Lexicographic Revision and C-revision

New information in the context of real life settings usually is accompanied by some kind of supplementary information that indicates context, reliability, or expertise of the information's source. Bounded Revision (BR) displays an iterated belief revision mechanism that takes as input a new information accompanied by a reference sentence acting as supplementary information, which specifies the depth with which the new input shall be integrated in the posterior belief state. The reference sentence specifies which worlds in the prior belief state are affected by the change mechanism. We show that Bounded Revision can be characterized by three simple, yet elegant postulates and corresponds to a special case of a lexicographic revision, which inherits all relevant features of BR. Furthermore, we present methodological implementations of BR including conditional revision with c-revisions, making it directly usable for conditional revision tools.

Women Experts and Gender Bias in Political Media.

Widely held gender stereotypes present obstacles for women experts, who are generally evaluated less positively than equally qualified men across a range of fields. While audiences may view women as better equipped to handle certain feminine-stereotyped issues, Role Congruency Theory suggests that expert authority in politics may be incongruent with traditional feminine gender roles, leading to a subsequent backlash. Building upon the latter theory, I hypothesize that when cued to consider the expertise of a news source, the (in)congruence of gender-stereotyped roles will activate gender biases which increase the gap in evaluations and trust of women and men. Using selection experiments, I assess the relationship between domain-relevant expertise and gender biases across a range of gender-stereotyped issues. I find that women experts are rewarded less for additional expertise and punished more severely for a lack of expertise, exacerbating gender-based biases relative to the control. I find that this pattern is consistent across both masculine- and feminine-stereotyped issues, including issues that disproportionately impact women, such as women's health care and the gender wage gap. The addition of competing partisan cues, however, overwhelms the influence of gender. The normative implications suggest women in the media often face an uphill battle to advocate for their interests on key issues that affect them even when they may have more direct relevant experience in addition to their qualifications.

Factors Influencing eWOM Review Adoption, Empirical Evidence from Vietnam Tourism Website.

Based on the cognition-affection-behaviour model, this study investigates the effects of tie strength, homophily, source trustworthiness, and source expertise on e-WOM credibility (EWC), which in turn affects the attitude toward the product (ATP), the attitude toward the website (ATW), and the adoption of eWOM review (ERA). The study sample includes 527 travellers who purchased a full trip via the Viet travel website. This study used Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to assess the suggested model, demonstrating a good fit. The findings show that tie strength, homophily, source trustworthiness, and source knowledge all have a substantial and favourable influence on EWC. Furthermore, homophily has a considerable and favourable influence on the source's strength and trustworthiness. The findings also show that EWC has a substantial and favourable influence on ATP, ATW, and ERA. This research adds to the literature by including several viewpoints and aspects from informational and interpersonal drivers. Furthermore, this research argues that these variables influence ERA via EWC and dual mind-sets (ATP and ATW).

Information distortion in word-of-mouth retransmission: the effects of retransmitter intention and source expertise

Information distortion in word-of-mouth retransmission: the effects of retransmitter intention and source expertise

Effects of Message Framing and Information Source on Consumers’ Attitudes toward an Amino Acid-Based Alternative Meat Curing System

Recently, meat scientists have developed an innovative amino acid-based alternative meat curing system (AAACS). However, consumer skepticism toward novel foods presents challenges regarding the acceptance of food innovations like the AAACS. Effective communication about this and other food technologies is critical. Our study was a 2 × 4 randomized factorial between-groups experiment that investigated how two peripheral cues-message frame and information source-impact attitudes toward the AAACS. We used Qualtrics to randomly assign participants to one of eight treatment groups. Each group viewed a different video about the AAACS. Then, all participants were asked about their attitudes toward the alternative meat curing system. Data were analyzed using a two-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The two-way MANOVA determined concurrently the experimental effects of message frame and information source on information recall, trust, source expertise, source credibility, and anticipated consumption behavior. A significant MANOVA was followed up using Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA). A significant main effect was found for information source. The DFA revealed only one significant underlying function and that source expertise was the most powerful discriminating variable for information source.

Electronic word-of-mouth from video bloggers: The role of content quality and source homophily across hedonic and utilitarian products

Consumers increasingly post videos in which they review products and experiences, spreading electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). Despite the relevance of consumer-generated audio-visual eWOM, there is limited research on this topic. Integrating Source Credibility Theory and the Information Adoption Model, this study investigates the effect of source expertise, trustworthiness, homophily, and popularity on perceived content quality and purchase intention. We ran two studies and gathered responses from 498 and 230 viewers of online videos of hedonic experiences (travel) and utilitarian products (personal technology), respectively. Findings indicate that source trustworthiness and expertise predict content quality across product types, while source homophily predicts content quality for hedonic experiences and source popularity for utilitarian products. Source homophily and content quality directly affect behavioral intention across product types, while source expertise influences consumers’ purchase intention of utilitarian products. Content quality mediates the influence of these source characteristics on behavioral intention.

More Than Just Numbers: How Engagement Metrics Influence User Intention to Pay for Online Knowledge Products

The online knowledge-sharing market in China has been rapidly growing, with increasing user demand for paid knowledge products. Like in other e-commerce contexts, users must make product evaluations under conditions of information asymmetry. In the age of social media, engagement metrics can be a particularly rich source of product information for users. However, there has been little research on how engagement metrics influence user decision making in online knowledge market. As such, mainly drawing on the Social Impact Theory, this study conducted a 2 (engagement metrics: high vs. low) × 2 (source expertise: high vs. low) between-subject factorial design experiment to explore the impact of engagement metrics on user purchase intention for online knowledge products. Participants consisted of 151 college students who completed measures on purchase intention, trust, demographics, and other individual variables. Results revealed that only when source expertise is high do higher engagement metrics lead to higher consumer trust, in turn resulting in higher purchase intention. Differentiating from findings on the impact of engagement metrics in other online contexts, this study highlights the importance of source expertise for influencing user purchase intention in the knowledge-sharing market.

The influence of electronic word of mouth through Tiktok on purchasing intention of skincare products in Indonesia

The ever-expanding internet has brought social media become a medium by which Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) is disseminated, particularly among skincare users. This study aims to assess the impact of eWOM through TikTok on skincare product purchase intention by developing a conceptual model of hypotheses that encompasses a multiplicity of factors that might be associated. The researcher investigates what factors impact eWOM usefulness & eWOM credibility and why consumers may adopt it when making a purchase. To examine our research model, a quantitative approach is employed using a sample of 373 Indonesian respondents via a web-based questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis with the program SmartPLS was employed to test ten proposed hypotheses. The results indicate that source expertise is the most significant factor that may impact eWOM credibility in addition to perceived persuasiveness, perceived informativeness, and source trustworthiness. Additionally, source trustworthiness is the main predictor of eWOM credibility in addition to perceived persuasiveness and source expertise with regard to TikTok. It was found that eWOM usefulness and credibility together increase the possibility of adopting an eWOM message, and eWOM adoption mediates the influence of credibility and usefulness on customer purchase intention toward skincare products on TikTok. Only a few studies have examined TikTok as a medium of eWOM distribution and its influence on skincare product purchase intention, therefore this study provides vital insights into eWOM literature by identifying the new platform. This study helps brands learn what to consider when designing marketing strategies to enhance purchase intentions.

Can students evaluate scientific YouTube videos? Examining students' strategies and criteria for evaluating videos versus webpages on climate change

AbstractBackgroundYouTube is widely used for learning about scientific issues in and out of school. However, much of the scientific information on YouTube is inaccurate. Prior studies have mostly focused on how students evaluate textual online information sources and have not yet systematically examined how they evaluate authentic scientific YouTube videos.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to examine how students evaluate authentic scientific YouTube videos in comparison to scientific webpages.MethodsEighth grade students ranked six YouTube videos on the topic of climate change, justified their rankings, and responded to metacognitive prompts designed to elicit their evaluation criteria and strategies. Students also responded to a parallel webpage evaluation measure. We analysed and compared students' evaluation strategies and criteria. We also examined which evaluation criteria predict students' judgments of YouTube video quality.Results and ConclusionsStudents predominantly relied on evaluation of video content, focusing mainly on criteria of communicative quality and explanation quality. Students tended to neglect source expertise and information validity criteria. Students evaluated videos mostly similarly to how they evaluated webpages. However, affective experiences played a greater role in video evaluation; whereas task relevance and verbal quality played a smaller role. Students' evaluation criteria predicted their judgments of video quality.ImplicationsThe findings suggest that students are unprepared for critically evaluating scientific YouTube videos and that digital information literacy instruction should address this gap. The study also identifies some unique challenges of video evaluation that educators should attend to.

The independent effects of source expertise and trustworthiness on retraction believability: The moderating role of vested interest.

Past research suggests that the trustworthiness of a source issuing a retraction of misinformation impacts retraction effectiveness, whereas source expertise does not. However, this prior research largely used expert sources who had a vested interest in issuing the retraction, which might have reduced the impact of those expert sources. We predicted that source expertise can impact a retraction's believability independent of trustworthiness, but that this is most likely when the source does not have a vested interest in issuing a retraction. Study 1 demonstrated that retractions from an expert source are believed more and lead to less continued belief in misinformation than retractions from an inexpert source while controlling for perceptions of trustworthiness. Additionally, Study 1 demonstrated that this only occurs when the source had no vested interest in issuing the retraction. Study 2 found similar effects using a design containing manipulations of both expertise and trustworthiness. These results suggest that source expertise can impact retraction effectiveness and that vested interest is a variable that is critical to consider when determining when this will occur.