The Role of Cognitive Heuristics in Credibility Assessment Online

• In Event: Applications and Theoretical Perspectives on the Role of Cognitive Heuristics in Forming Online Credibility Judgments

Abstract

The contemporary information and communication environment presents users with a dizzying array of information choices and sources, as well as layers of social recommendations and commentary that can make evaluating online information extremely complex. We will discuss how information consumers judge the credibility and accuracy of online information, focusing on the use of cognitive heuristics in credibility evaluation as a strategy to sort through the abundance of information. Specifically, we will highlight the role of people’s information processing activities, individual characteristics influencing information evaluation, and the dynamics of information assessment that unfold in the context of social interaction online. Findings from recent studies will illustrate the types of heuristics that information consumers employ when determining what sources and information to trust online, which will further suggest an agenda for future research to better understand the role and influence of cognitive heuristics in credibility evaluation in computer-mediated communication contexts.

Authors

• Andrew Flanagin, U of California - Santa Barbara

• Miriam Metzger, U of California - Santa Barbara