Open AccessEvery Blog Has Its Day: Politically‐interested Internet Users’ Perceptions of Blog Credibility
Author(s) -
Johnson Thomas J.,
Kaye Barbara K.,
Bichard Shan L.,
Wong W. Joann
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of computer‐mediated communication
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.15
H-Index - 119
ISSN - 1083-6101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00388.x
Subject(s) - credibility , mainstream , demographics , the internet , perception , entertainment , social media , source credibility , advertising , internet privacy , internet users , psychology , political science , business , world wide web , computer science , sociology , demography , neuroscience , law
This study employs an online survey to examine U.S. politically‐interested Internet users’ perceptions of the credibility of blogs. The article focuses on the influence of blog reliance compared to motivations for visiting blogs in determining blog credibility. The study found that blogs were judged as moderately credible, but as more credible than any mainstream media or online source. Both reliance and motivations predicted blog credibility after controlling for demographics and political variables. Reliance proved a consistently stronger predictor than blog motivations. Also, information‐seeking motives predicted credibility better than entertainment ones.