@article{2019:kluck:doubters_a,
title = {Doubters are more convincing than advocates. The impact of user comments and ratings on credibility perceptions of false news stories on social media},
year = {2019},
note = {False information on social media poses a crucial threat to our
society, and calls for interventions to combat this problem are
becoming louder. Users themselves may have the potential to diminish
the impact of misleading information. In an online experiment with a 3
x 3 between-subjects design (credibility evaluation in user comments:
positive vs. negative vs. none) x (numerical credibility rating:
positive vs. negative vs. none), we tested the influence of bandwagon
cues on the impact of a false news post on Facebook (N = 240).
Contrary to prevalent assumptions regarding heuristic information
processing, numerical credibility ratings had no influence on
participants’ credibility appraisals and intended sharing behavior.
However, negative user comments diminished the believability of false
news. Moreover, participants’ willingness to share the news post
publicly and privately was indirectly reduced by the effect of
negative user comments on perceived news credibility.},
journal = {SCM Studies in Communication and Media},
pages = {446--470},
author = {Kluck, Jan P . and Schaewitz, Leonie and Krämer, Nicole C .},
volume = {8},
number = {4}
}