Discrediting in a message board forum: The effects of social support and attacks on expertise and trustworthiness
Given the prevalence of online media today, credibility continues to be a popular subject of empirical research. However, studies examining the effects of discrediting strategies are rare. This issue is significant given the popularity of online media and the ease of such sources to spread misinform...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
2014
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/12508 |
| _version_ | 1848748095536365568 |
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| author | Hughes, M. Griffith, J. Zeni, T. Arsenault, M. Cooper, O. Johnson, Genevieve Hardy, J. Connelly, S. Mumford, M. |
| author_facet | Hughes, M. Griffith, J. Zeni, T. Arsenault, M. Cooper, O. Johnson, Genevieve Hardy, J. Connelly, S. Mumford, M. |
| author_sort | Hughes, M. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Given the prevalence of online media today, credibility continues to be a popular subject of empirical research. However, studies examining the effects of discrediting strategies are rare. This issue is significant given the popularity of online media and the ease of such sources to spread misinformation. Therefore, the present study examines the effects of attacking the expertise and trustworthiness of a proponent of a major social issue. Results showed that support as well specific combinations of discrediting attack strategies significantly reduced message board readers' perceptions of the proponent's credibility. In addition, attacks on either the proponent's expertise or trustworthiness resulted in a reduced likelihood of readers taking action with respect to the issue. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T06:59:36Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-12508 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T06:59:36Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-125082017-09-13T14:57:35Z Discrediting in a message board forum: The effects of social support and attacks on expertise and trustworthiness Hughes, M. Griffith, J. Zeni, T. Arsenault, M. Cooper, O. Johnson, Genevieve Hardy, J. Connelly, S. Mumford, M. Given the prevalence of online media today, credibility continues to be a popular subject of empirical research. However, studies examining the effects of discrediting strategies are rare. This issue is significant given the popularity of online media and the ease of such sources to spread misinformation. Therefore, the present study examines the effects of attacking the expertise and trustworthiness of a proponent of a major social issue. Results showed that support as well specific combinations of discrediting attack strategies significantly reduced message board readers' perceptions of the proponent's credibility. In addition, attacks on either the proponent's expertise or trustworthiness resulted in a reduced likelihood of readers taking action with respect to the issue. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/12508 10.1111/jcc4.12077 unknown |
| spellingShingle | Hughes, M. Griffith, J. Zeni, T. Arsenault, M. Cooper, O. Johnson, Genevieve Hardy, J. Connelly, S. Mumford, M. Discrediting in a message board forum: The effects of social support and attacks on expertise and trustworthiness |
| title | Discrediting in a message board forum: The effects of social support and attacks on expertise and trustworthiness |
| title_full | Discrediting in a message board forum: The effects of social support and attacks on expertise and trustworthiness |
| title_fullStr | Discrediting in a message board forum: The effects of social support and attacks on expertise and trustworthiness |
| title_full_unstemmed | Discrediting in a message board forum: The effects of social support and attacks on expertise and trustworthiness |
| title_short | Discrediting in a message board forum: The effects of social support and attacks on expertise and trustworthiness |
| title_sort | discrediting in a message board forum: the effects of social support and attacks on expertise and trustworthiness |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/12508 |