The influence of media credibility, skepticism of media, and perceived intenion on the effect of persuasive message

Abstract

Based on studies on media credibility & skepticism of media and the persuasion knowledge model, this study aims to understand the relationship among media credibility, skepticism of media, and perceived intention and identify these variables influence on the effect of persuasive message. To this end, I set three research questions, formulated hypotheses regarding them, and tested the hypotheses, and the results are as follows: First, Research Question 1 is to know the impact of media credibility on skepticism of media. As expected, those exposed to media with high credibility had less skepticism of media message than those exposed to media with low credibility. Second, Research Question 2 is to see media credibilitys influence on perceived intention. As a result, study participants who are university students thought that they well recognized persuasive intention. Both those exposed to media with high credibility and those exposed to media with low credibility well recognized persuasive intention, thus media credibility didnt create difference in perceived intention. Third, Research Question 3 is to examine the influence of media credibility, skepticism of media, and perceived intention on the effect of persuasive message. As expected, those who saw an advertisement in media with high credibility had more positive attitude toward the advertisement than those who saw an advertisement in media with low credibility. Moreover, there were four experiment groups: those who saw an advertisement for a diet machine in Dong-A Ilbo, those who saw an advertisement for a pillow in Dong-A Ilbo, those who saw an advertisement for a diet machine in Ilyo Shinmun, and those who saw an advertisement for a pillow in Ilyo Shinmun. As a result, the impact of skepticism of media on attitude toward the advertisement was meaningful for three groups except the one group who saw the advertisement for a pillow in Ilyo Shinmun, while the effect of perceived intention on attitude toward the advertisement was meaningful for two groups who saw the advertisements in Ilyo Shinmun. Overall, media credibility seems to have a negative relationship with skepticism of media, while having a positive correlation with the effect of persuasive message. Moreover, skepticism of media and perceived intention seem to be a significant variable related to the effect of persuasive message. These study results will have meaningful implications for devising a persuasion strategy to enhance persuasive effects.