Identity on Social Networks as a Cue: Identity, Retweets, and Credibility. Issue 5 (20th October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lin, Xialing; Spence, Patric R.
• Is Part Of: Communication studies. Volume 69:Issue 5(2018)
• Page Start: 461
• Page End: 482
• Publication Date: 2018-10-20
• Subjects: Warranting Theory -- Source Credibility -- Risk Communication -- Social Media -- Agency Cues; Communication -- Periodicals; Oratory -- Periodicals; 302.205
• DOI: 10.1080/10510974.2018.1489295
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1051-0974

Abstract

Abstract : The current study investigates how social media affordances influence individuals' source credibility perceptions in the presence of risk information, specifically examining how bandwagon heuristics interact with different identity heuristics at the individual level. The MAIN model and warranting theory serve as the theoretical framework to examine the effects of bandwagon cues and identity cues embedded in retweets and users' profile pages for health and risk online information processing. A posttest-only experiment with a self-report questionnaire was administered to participants. Results indicate that different online heuristic cues impact the judgments of competence, goodwill, and trustworthiness. Authority cues strongly influenced source credibility perceptions. A reverse-bandwagon effect was observed in influencing source credibility judgments.