The Effects of Online Community Customer Reviewer Profiles on Perceptions of Credibility
Open Access
Author:
Lim, Young Shin
Graduate Program:
Information Sciences and Technology
Degree:
Master of Science
Document Type:
Master Thesis
Date of Defense:
None
Committee Members:
Shawn Clark & Jim Jansen, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor Shawn Mitchell Clark, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor Bernard James Jansen, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Keywords:
source credibility eWOM online community
Abstract:
It is an easy task for people to browse word-of-mouths (WOM) shared by millions of others online. However, this large amount of information does not always guarantee better decision making, and there presents the risk that users will accept misinformation. As a matter of fact, the computer-mediated nature of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) means that its credibility is open to question even as the platforms expand the speed and scope of WOM. In this regard, this study explores how information provided by an online community platform, Yelp.com, supports the receiver’s credibility assessment of eWOM in the context of the community’s restaurant reviews. The results demonstrate that profile elements such as the number of reviews written by a reviewer and the reviewer’s achievement of the community’s elite member status affect at least one dimension of the reviewer’s source credibility. The results also show that the number of friends the reviewer has exerts a relative influence on the receiver’s assessment of credibility. The findings provide a valuable illustration of how people’s perceptions of eWOM credibility are influenced by the online community platform.
