Search & Verify: Misinformation and source evaluations in Internet search results

2023 | Decision Support Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Dennis, Alan R.; Moravec, Patricia L.; Kim, Antino

Abstract: In response to online misinformation, source rating services evaluate thousands ... Expand

Abstract: In response to online misinformation, source rating services evaluate thousands of popular websites, mark them as reputable or disreputable, and provide detailed information explaining their evaluations. In this paper, we examine the effects of news source evaluations by experts as well as crowd-sourced information (i.e., Wikipedia) on beliefs in political news that appears in Internet search results. Through two online experiments, we inves­ tigate the effects of providing a simple source-evaluation flag or a flag with more detailed supporting information explaining the evaluation. We found that negative flags from expert fact-checkers reduced users' beliefs, and supporting information had no additional effect; in contrast, positive flags required information beyond the simple flag to have maximum effectiveness. Positive and negative crowd-sourced information had similar effects but was weaker than evaluations from experts. Thus, we conclude that providing additional information to support source evaluation flags is important to give users confidence in reputable websites. Collapse

Topics: Wikipedia internet technology crowdsourcing fake news blog

Methods: theory development linear regression analysis experiment post-hoc analysis survey

Theories: argumentation theory

Social Media Adoption, Usage And Impact In Business-To-Business (B2B) Context: A State-Of-The-Art Literature Review

2023 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 0

Authors: Dwivedi, Yogesh K.; Ismagilova, Elvira; Rana, Nripendra P.; Raman, Ramakrishnan

Abstract: Social media plays an important part in the digital transformation of businesses ... Expand

Abstract: Social media plays an important part in the digital transformation of businesses. This research provides a comprehensive analysis of the use of social media by business-to-business (B2B) companies. The current study focuses on the number of aspects of social media such as the effect of social media, social media tools, social media use, adoption of social media use and its barriers, social media strategies, and measuring the effectiveness of use of social media. This research provides a valuable synthesis of the relevant literature on social media in B2B context by analysing, performing weight analysis and discussing the key findings from existing research on social media. The findings of this study can be used as an informative framework on social media for both, academic and practitioners. Collapse

Topics: social media business-to-business business-to-consumer marketing management Facebook

Methods: survey qualitative content analysis literature study regression analysis method personal interview

Theories: technology acceptance model motivation theory theory of task technology fit resource based view of the firm

Online Information Filtering: The Role of Contextual Cues in Electronic Networks of Practice

2023 | ACM SIGMIS Database | Citations: 0

Authors: Fadel, Kelly J.; Jensen, Matthew L.; Meservy, Thomas O.

Abstract: Online forums sponsored by Electronic Networks of Practice are commonly used to ... Expand

Abstract: Online forums sponsored by Electronic Networks of Practice are commonly used to exchange information related to problem solving, but the quality of solutions posted on forums can vary widely. To assist knowledge seekers, most forums offer contextual cues that signal solution quality, such as endorsements by the question poster, experts, or other community members. However, the influence of these cues on information-filtering decisions, particularly when presented simultaneously, remains poorly understood. This study draws on signaling theory to develop hypotheses about how four cue dimensions-source, valence, format, and volume-shape information filtering on an online forum. Results from three choice-based conjoint studies show that some sources are more influential than others and that positive cues weigh more heavily on filtering decisions than negative cues. Results also show that cues tend to be more influential when they employ a more granular format and reflect the input of a larger number of individuals. Collapse

Topics: decision making information storage and retrieval system logistics management website information exchange

Methods: conjoint analysis survey statistical hypothesis test literature study theory development

Theories: signaling theory

On the Same Page? What Users Benefit from a Desktop View on Mobile Devices

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Fink, Lior; Papismedov, Daniele

Abstract: The presentation of online content is routinely adapted to the smaller screens o ... Expand

Abstract: The presentation of online content is routinely adapted to the smaller screens of mobile devices by implementing an information architecture (IA) that hierarchically restructures the information being presented to users, in conjunction with layout and size adaptations. Despite the understanding that users of mobile devices are likely to experience lower usability and higher load without such adaptations, a recent trend is to offer these users the ability to opt out of content adaptation and revert to a desktop view. The prevailing justification for this trend is the existence of websites that fail to provide an optimal mobile experience. In this work, we show that a desktop view may benefit mobile users by increasing the accuracy of their decisions. Focusing on the difference between a desktop IA, where information is presented on a single page, and a mobile IA, where information is hierarchically distributed across pages, we hypothesize that mobile users exhibit lower decision accuracy when a mobile IA is implemented. We theoretically anchor this hypothesis in the effort-accuracy framework, which views decision behavior as contingent on the trade-off between effort and accuracy. This hypothesis is supported in two laboratory experiments in which participants are faced with the multiattribute choice task of making an online hotel reservation. The experiments also highlight a boundary condition for the negative effect of the mobile IA on decision accuracy, depending on whether the mobile IA is congruent with user preferences. The findings suggest that content adaptation on mobile devices deserves greater research attention, particularly from the perspective of adaptive decision behavior.History: Anandasivam Gopal, Senior Editor; Likoebe Maruping, Associate Editor.Funding: The authors thank the Israel Science Foundation [Grant 604/18] for providing funding in support of this research.Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1140. Collapse

Topics: mobile system information storage and retrieval system decision making website smartphone

Methods: experiment descriptive statistic regression analysis method survey statistical hypothesis test

Theories: theory of bounded rationality

Thinking Fast and Thinking Slow: Digital Devices' Effects on Cognitive Reflection

2023 | Journal of Management Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Figl, Kathrin; Remus, Ulrich

Abstract: Informed by theoretical perspectives on working memory demands and devices' pote ... Expand

Abstract: Informed by theoretical perspectives on working memory demands and devices' potential to "prime" different types of cognitive processing, this paper investigates whether we tend to think "faster" and more intuitively, with less reflection when we use a smartphone instead of a personal computer (PC) or notebook. Three complementary experimental studies with a total of 823 participants reveal that the results of using such devices surface only when participants can select the smartphone as their preferred device. Controlling for potential confounding variables reveals no evidence of general differences between devices. Our findings caution against overemphasizing the importance of the type of device in thinking slow or fast and establish self-selection bias as an important factor in explaining such differences. This study contributes to clarifying the psychology of smartphone screens and how humans make choices when they are using these devices. Collapse

Topics: smartphone electronic mail social media decision making laptop computer

Methods: survey within subject experiment longitudinal research experiment hierarchical linear modeling

Theories: dual-system theory cognitive theory

Maximizing Online Revisiting and Purchasing: A Clickstream-Based Approach to Enhancing Customer Lifetime Value

2023 | Journal of Management Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Jabr, Wael; Ghoshal, Abhijeet; Cheng, Yichen; Pavlou, Paul

Abstract: Online retailers are increasingly focused on maintaining a long-term relationshi ... Expand

Abstract: Online retailers are increasingly focused on maintaining a long-term relationship with customers, encouraging repeat visits rather than single-time purchases to increase customer lifetime value. To help retailers maximize the probabilities of customers' revisiting and purchasing, we develop a two-stage model to better characterize and predict these two fundamental customer activities. In the first stage, we characterize the propensity of a customer revisiting the retailer's website. In the second stage, we develop a stochastic model that predicts revisits while also incorporating individual customer heterogeneity in exerted search effort during repeated visits. This heterogeneity is based on individual customer preferences in the choice of consideration sets, product information, pricing, and the search environment. Using customer level clickstream data, we show that our approach is not only better at predicting repeat customer visits, compared to existing methods, but also explainable and managerially interpretable. Most importantly, using computationally efficient simulation-based prescriptive analytics, we leverage our modeling approach to propose practical intervention strategies that maximize the joint likelihoods of customers revisiting and purchasing at the individual customer level. Collapse

Topics: website price management mobile system accounting logistics management

Methods: simulation logistic regression proportional hazards model cluster analysis machine learning

Ambivalence is Better than Indifference: Behavioral and Neurophysiological Assessment of Ambivalence in Online Environments

2023 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 0

Authors: Lakhiwal, Akshat; Bala, Hillol; Léger, Pierre-Majorique

Abstract: Information representations such as ratings and reviews play an important role ... Expand

Abstract: Information representations such as ratings and reviews play an important role in assisting users in making decisions in online environments. Prior information systems (IS) research has mostly focused on the role of extreme valence, i.e., the positivity/negativity of information, portrayed by such representations. Yet this bipolar approach discounts how the coexistence of positivity and negativity (i.e., ambivalence) or their absence (i.e., indifference) is formed and leads to distinct attentional processes and outcomes such as purchase decisions. We theorize how and why the valence of information projected through such representations may elicit mixed feelings and influence decision-making in online environments. We conducted four randomized controlled experiments, including an electroencephalography (EEG) study, to disentangle the influence of ambivalence and indifference on decision-making in an online shopping context. We found that ambivalence and indifference to online information distinctly influenced attention and purchase decisions relative to positivity and negativity. Our findings further suggest the inability of incumbent bipolar representations, such as the widely implemented star rating system, to capture the mixed feelings expressed in online content. We propose a bivariate intervention that overcomes the limitations of bipolar representations by not only discerning ambivalence from indifference but also amplifying purchase decisions for products with ambivalent information by at least 50%, compared to incumbent bipolar representations. Our findings advance ongoing research on the role of information valence in online environments and offer implications for practice. Collapse

Topics: decision making enterprise resource planning digital platform user experience user attitude

Methods: experiment theory development electroencephalography NeuroIS statistical power analysis

Individual Differences and Situational Constraint Predict Information Search in Negotiation Planning

2023 | Group Decision and Negotiation | Citations: 0

Authors: Le, Dai Quy; Jang, Daisung

Abstract: Planning is critical for negotiation success as it facilitates obtaining superio ... Expand

Abstract: Planning is critical for negotiation success as it facilitates obtaining superior outcomes. However, little empirically is known about this topic. We argue that individual differences are important to understanding planning behavior because planning affords greater opportunities for individual differences to manifest compared to other phases of negotiation. We conducted a series of studies with the aim of understanding how the Big Five factors and gender predict information search and preference while planning. In Study 1, we examined information search behavior using the Mouselab paradigm. When the search space was large, agreeableness predicted persistence in search, and women spent significantly more time on the task, and looked for value creating and relationship related information to a greater extent than men (Study 1a). In a more constrained situation or with a smaller search space, few associations between individual differences and search behavior emerged (Studies 1b and 1c). In Study 2, we used a survey design to elicit preferences for information type. In this task, multiple personality factors predicted preferences. Conscientiousness and openness predicted preferences for value claiming information, and women preferred value creating information. Conscientiousness predicted preference for value claiming choice of information through the preference for value claiming information. How individual differences manifest in information search and preference in negotiation planning is a function of both task type and complexity. Collapse

Topics: personality information storage and retrieval system decision making

Methods: survey design survey statistical hypothesis test descriptive statistic Poisson regression

Theories: big five model role theory

How does e-government use affect citizens’ trust in government? Empirical evidence from China

2023 | Information & Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Li, Yan; Shang, Huping

Abstract: Although much literature has discussed the potential of e-government for improvi ... Expand

Abstract: Although much literature has discussed the potential of e-government for improving citizens’ trust in govern­ ment, the question of how e-government use affects citizens’ trust in government remains underexplored. To investigate the driving mechanism of the effects of different types of e-government use on trust in government, this research develops a conceptual framework based on the institutional-based trust theory, the process-based trust theory, and the expectancy-disconfirmation model. Based on data collected from 1668 citizen users living in five cities in China, the study verifies the proposed mediated moderation model and then tests the robustness of the results using process analysis. The results reveal that citizens’ use of e-government revitalizes their trust in government indirectly, via influence on citizens’ evaluation of government integrity, performance, and responsiveness from the experience of using e-government, while the mediating effects of citizens’ evaluation of government on relationship between e-government use and public trust are diminished by citizens’ expectations for their government. The analysis also offers strong support for the conclusion that the effects of different types of e-government use on public trust are differentially distributed among multiple levels of governments in China. Collapse

Topics: government system website information storage and retrieval system internet technology social capital

Methods: survey descriptive statistic data transformation moderation analysis factor analysis

Theories: trust theory

Digitizing local search: An empirical analysis of mobile search behavior in offline shopping

2023 | Decision Support Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Molitor, Dominik; Daurer, Stephan; Spann, Martin; Manchanda, Puneet

Abstract: Mobile devices have become increasingly prevalent in the context of consumers’ o ... Expand

Abstract: Mobile devices have become increasingly prevalent in the context of consumers’ offline search and shopping behavior by acting as personal decision support tools. This paper investigates the relationship between con­ sumers’ real-time location and their search behavior when shopping offline. We develop two location-specific measures based on mobile device usage to analyze the association between a consumer’s real-time location and their search behavior: Present store distance and present store density. We apply these measures to a unique dataset from a leading mobile product information app that includes >13 million search sessions from 2.5 million consumers searching for 1.8 million different products. Our findings show that store distance and store density significantly influence consumers’ mobile search behavior: detailed searches for product-specific attributes (search depth) increase as store distance decreases and store density increases, while the number of jointly searched products within the same category (search breadth) increases as store distance and density increase. We also find that durable products weaken the main effects of store distance and density on search depth but strengthen it for search breadth. These results provide insights for offline retailers to better understand locationspecific consumer demands and improve their mobile in-app targeting and product assortment decisions. Collapse

Topics: mobile application mobile system geographic information system global navigation satellite system location based service

Methods: descriptive statistic statistical hypothesis test theory development likelihood-ratio test robustness check

Theories: construal level theory