Skip to main content

Source attribution and perceptual effects.

Matthews, J., 2012. Source attribution and perceptual effects. In: Proceedings of the ISLC 2012. International Symposium on Language and Communication: Research Trends and Challenges, 10th-13th June 2012. ISLC, 85 - 96 .

Full text available as:

[img]
Preview
PDF
Source Attribution and Perceptual Effects.pdf - Submitted Version

220kB

Abstract

Following a string of recent controversies involving journalists and their sources, public awareness in the UK of sourcing and sourcing practices has increased. There are, however, only a handful of studies that have considered how source attribution may affect audiences’ evaluation of the quality or objectivity of news. This paper examines the influence of source attribution upon perceptions of news credibility. It reports the initial findings of a media experiment designed to test the effect of attributing information to different institutional sources on two component measures of credibility: participants’ assessment of the believability and accuracy of news. Using a between-subjects design (n=147), participants were presented with one of four versions of the same news story, manipulated to attribute key information to different institutional sources. The data indicates that the effect of source attribution, as a subtle or nuanced variation in content, is limited and that attitudinal characteristics are more significant determinants of audiences’ perceptions of news credibility. Specifically, the findings show significant relationships between trust in the media, concern over the issue reported and participants’ assessment of the believability and accuracy of news.

Item Type:Book Section
ISBN:978-605-86867-0-0
Additional Information:http://www.inlcs.org/online/table_content.pdf
Group:Faculty of Media & Communication
ID Code:20891
Deposited By: Symplectic RT2
Deposited On:15 Jul 2013 10:36
Last Modified:14 Mar 2022 13:47

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

More statistics for this item...
Repository Staff Only -