Credibility Heuristics, Pre-Existing Attitudes, and Reactions to Messages on Ideological Websites

• In Event: Focusing Theories on Communication Technology #1

Abstract

The Internet has become the primary location for extremist groups to recruit members, manage their public image, and organize a diverse membership. To accomplish these goals, these organizations strive to appear credible to target audiences. Metzger, Flanagin, and Medders’ (2010) theory of online credibility assessment explains that Internet users rely on heuristic cues to determine whether website information is credible. We conducted two studies to test this theory in an online extreme ideological environment. In addition, we investigated how website viewers’ pre-existing attitudes regarding the topic affects how they perceive the messages presented on extremist websites. Results of this research found that this theory partially extends to ideological settings. However, participants did not attribute credibility to ideological topics on a reliable basis. Participants’ pre-existing attitudes regarding the topic and the position advocated for by the website sponsor played a critical role in what type of credibility cues were most salient.

Authors

• Michael Ault, University of Oklahoma

• Alisha M Ness, U of Oklahoma

• William D Taylor, U of Oklahoma

• D Genevieve Johnson, U of Oklahoma

• Shane Connelly, U of Oklahoma

• Matthew Jensen, U of Oklahoma

• Norah E. Dunbar, U of California Santa Barbara