TY - JOUR
T1 - Heuristic versus systematic processing of specialist versus generalist sources in online media
AU - Koh, Yoon Jeon
AU - Sundar, S. Shyam
PY - 2010/4
Y1 - 2010/4
N2 - In exploring why specialist sources (e.g., CNN.com) are more persuasive than generalist sources (e.g., CBS.com), this study examines theoretical mechanisms related to information-processing differences caused by these sources. When we have a chain of sources (Websites and agents) in online media, does specialization of one of them bias the processing of underlying information? Does it trigger the authority heuristic and promote heuristic, rather than systematic, processing? If so, does it affect affective trust more than cognitive trust? An experiment (N = 140) was conducted with an online wine shopping task. Participants showed greater trust in Website, Web agent, and product descriptions when exposed to a specialist Web agent than to a generalist Web agent. Theoretical implications are discussed.
AB - In exploring why specialist sources (e.g., CNN.com) are more persuasive than generalist sources (e.g., CBS.com), this study examines theoretical mechanisms related to information-processing differences caused by these sources. When we have a chain of sources (Websites and agents) in online media, does specialization of one of them bias the processing of underlying information? Does it trigger the authority heuristic and promote heuristic, rather than systematic, processing? If so, does it affect affective trust more than cognitive trust? An experiment (N = 140) was conducted with an online wine shopping task. Participants showed greater trust in Website, Web agent, and product descriptions when exposed to a specialist Web agent than to a generalist Web agent. Theoretical implications are discussed.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/77951243240
U2 - 10.1111/j.1468-2958.2010.01370.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1468-2958.2010.01370.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77951243240
SN - 0360-3989
VL - 36
SP - 103
EP - 124
JO - Human Communication Research
JF - Human Communication Research
IS - 2
ER -