for

Positive vs. Negative Framing of Scientific Information on Facebook Using Peripheral Cues: An Eye-Tracking Study of the Credibility Assessment Process

Aim/Purpose: To examine how positive/negative message framing – based on peripheral cues (regarding popularity, source, visuals, and hyperlink) – affects perceptions of credibility of scientific information posted on social networking sites (in this case, Facebook), while exploring the mechanisms of viewing the different components. Background: Credibility assessment of information is a key skill in today's information society. However, it is a demanding cognitive task, which is impossible to perform for every piece of online information. Additionally, message framing — that is, the context and approach used to construct information— may impact perceptions of credibility. In practice, people rely on various cues and cognitive heuristics to determine whether they think a piece of content is true or not. In social networking sites, content is usually enriched by additional information (e.g., popularity), which may impact the users' perceived credibility of the content. Methodology: A quantitative controlled experiment was designed (N=19 undergraduate students), collecting fine grained data with an eye tracking camera, while analyzing it using transition graphs. Contribution: The findings on the mechanisms of that process, enabled by the use of eye tracking data, point to the different roles of specific peripheral cues, when the message is overall peripherally positive or negative. It also contributes to the theoretical literature on framing effects in science communication, as it highlights the peripheral cues that make a strong frame. Findings: The positively framed status was perceived, as expected from the Elaboration Likelihood Model, more credible than the negatively framed status, demonstrating the effects of the visual framing. Differences in participants' mechanisms of assessing credibility between the two scenarios were evident in the specific ways the participants examined the various status components. Recommendations for Practitioners: As part of digital literacy education, major focus should be given to the role of peripheral cues on credibility assessment in social networking sites. Educators should emphasize the mechanisms by which these cues interact with message framing, so Internet users would be encouraged to reflect upon their own credibility assessment skills, and eventually improve them. Recommendation for Researchers: The use of eye tracking data may help in collecting and analyzing fine grained data on credibility assessment processes, and on Internet behavior at large. The data shown here may shed new light on previously studied phenomena, enabling a more nuanced understanding of them. Impact on Society: In an era when Internet users are flooded with information that can be created by virtually anyone, credibility assessment skills have become ever more important, hence the prominence of this skill. Improving citizens' assessment of information credibility — to which we believe this study contributes — results on a greater impact on society. Future Research: The role of peripheral cues and of message framing should be studied in other contexts (not just scientific news) and in other platforms. Additional peripheral cues not tested here should be also taken into consideration (e.g., connections between the information consumer and the information sharer, or the type of the leading image).




for

RESQ for FLASHMEM, Inc.: An IS Teaching Case




for

Practical Liability Issues of Information Technology Education: Internship and Consulting Engagements




for

Matching Office Information Systems (OIS) Curriculum To Relevant Standards: Students, School Mission, Regional Business Needs, and National Curriculum




for

Training Facilitators for Face-to-Face Electronic Meetings: An Experiential Learning Approach




for

Conceptions of an Information System and Their Use in Teaching about IS




for

Multimedia Content Analysis and Indexing for Filtering and Retrieval Applications




for

Informing Clientele through Networked Multimedia Information Systems: Introduction to the Special Issues




for

Teaching Information Quality in Information Systems Undergraduate Education




for

Building an Internet-Based Learning Environment in Higher Education: Learner Informing Systems and the Life Cycle Approach




for

Development of a Video Network for Efficient Dissemination of the Graphical Images in a Collaborative Environment




for

Toward A Methodology For Managing Information Systems Implementation: A Social Constructivist Perspective




for

The Value of Information Systems Teaching and Research in the Knowledge Society




for

Learning from the World Wide Web: Using Organizational Profiles in Information Searches




for

Special Series on Tools, Techniques, and Technologies for Promoting Organizational Learning




for

Social Informatics in the Information Sciences: Current Activities and Emerging Directions




for

Representation and Organization of Information in the Web Space: From MARC to XML




for

Applications Of Informetrics To Information Retrieval Research




for

Toward a Theoretical Framework for Information Science




for

Relevance: An Interdisciplinary and Information Science Perspective




for

Image Information Retrieval: An Overview of Current Research




for

Interactive Information Retrieval: Context and Basic Notions




for

Human Information Behavior




for

Informing Science Special Issue on Information Science Research




for

Teaching Information Management to Honors Degree Students: The Information Challenges Approach




for

Information Systems Executives: The Changing Role of New IS/IT Leaders




for

Advanced Signal Processing for Wireless Multimedia Communications




for

Using a Virtual Room Platform To Build a Multimedia Distance Learning Environment For The Internet




for

Self-Service Banking: Value Creation Models and Information Exchange




for

The Impact of Information and Communication Technology on Interorganizational Coordination: Guidelines from Theory




for

Models of Information Markets: Analysis of Markets, Identification of Services, and Design Models




for

Introduction to Special Series on Information Exchange in Electronic Markets: New Business Models




for

An Action-Oriented Perspective of Information Systems in Organizations




for

Informing Science (IS) and Science and Technology Studies (STS): The University as Decision Center (DC) for Teaching Interdisciplinary Research




for

An Examination of Computer Attitudes, Anxieties, and Aversions Among Diverse College Populations: Issues Central to Understanding Information Sciences in the New Millennium




for

A Framework for Effective User Interface Design for Web-Based Electronic Commerce Applications




for

An Introduction to Computer Forensics: Gathering Evidence in a Computing Environment




for

Salvaging Information Engineering Techniques in the Data Warehouse Environment




for

An I-Based Taxonomy of Virtual Organisations and the Implications for Effective Management




for

Quantum Computers: A New Paradigm in Information Technology




for

Differences in Stage of Integration between Business Planning and Information Systems Planning according to Value Configurations




for

Empirical Validation Procedure for the Knowledge Management Technology Stage Model




for

WebSpy: An Architecture for Monitoring Web Server Availability in a Multi-Platform Environment




for

Colored-sketch of Text Information




for

Informing South African Students about Information Systems




for

Comprendiendo Nuestras Politicas: The Need for an Effective C&IT Policy for a Nation’s Development, The Venezuelan Case




for

To Speak or Not to Speak: Developing Legal Standards for Anonymous Speech on the Internet




for

Toward a Model of Growth Stages for Knowledge Management Technology in Law Firms




for

Educationally Critical Aspects of the Concept of an Information System




for

Web-Based Interactions Support for Information Systems