notes for “Credibility and Computers”
Posted by Ada Yang on 28 七 2004 at 05:03 下午 | Tagged as: 搜索引擎 Search Engine
What is credibility?
Simply put, it can be defined as believability, while scholars agree it is a perceived quality.
Perceived credibility ＝ Perceived trustworthiness + Perceived expertise
Trustworthiness= fair and unbiased, truthful
Fair and unbiased, sources argue against their own interest, perceived similarity leads to trustworthiness
Expertise= knowledge, experience, competence
The most credible source= high level of trustworthiness + high level of expertise
When one dimension is strong, and the other one remains unknown, the computer product maybe perceived as credible; when one dimension is known to be weak, regardless the other dimension, credibility suffers.
When Credibility Matters in Human-Computer Interaction
1. Instruct or advise users
An in-car navigation system or even the default choice of a pop up window
2. Report measurements
Clear, credibility is key
3. Provide information and analysis
Not only is the credibility of info. at stake, so is the method used to tailor the info.
4. Report on work performed
If the report on work performed does not match the actual out come, the credibility will be questioned.
5. Report about their own state
One inaccurate message will cause other reports less believable.
6. Run simulations
If a simulation designed conveys a real-world experience doesn’t closely match reality,the application won’t be credible.
7. Render virtual environments
The virtual world follows a consistent set of rules will be more credible.
Four Types of Credibility
Type of credibility Basis for believability
Presumed credibility General assumptions in the mind of the perceiver
Surface credibility Simple inspection or initial firsthand experience
Reputed credibility Third-party endorsements, reports, or referrals
Earned credibility Firsthand experience that extends over time
Presumed credibility: People assign more credibility to computers than to humans, but as widely varying credibility of web sites, this view may be changing.
Surface credibility: it might be the only chance to win over a user, it might be visual design, tone of the text, domain name, etc.
Reputed credibility: endorsements, reports, awards, referrals of third-party will boost credibility
Earned credibility: credibility can be strengthened over time if computer products perform consistently in accordance with the users’ expectations, creating products will earn more credibility.
the four types of computer credibility represent different perspectives in viewing elements of credibility, and they can overlap.
Dynamics of Computer Credibility
computers gain more credibility when user find the provided info is right, or lose credibilty, no matter the size, mistake which is significant will damage credibilty. once los credibilty, it might be helpful to regain by providing accurate infor over time or make same mistakes repatedly.
Errors in Credibility Evaluations
form!
Users perceives product as credible Users perceives product as not credible
Product is credible Appropriate acceptance Incredulity
Product is not credible Gullibility error Aprropriate rejection
Appropriate Credibility Perceptions
computer products should convey appropriate levels of credibility, reduce incredulity errors without increasing gullibility errors.
The future of Computer Credibility
as computer is losing its aura, mystique, presumed credibility, computer products will be perceived to have appropriate levels of credibility
Credibility and the World Wide Web
Credibility is the key factor in Web site’s ability to persuade
Web Credibility: what it is, how it is own, how to understand it better.
Variability of Web Credibility
the web can be a highly credible source of info, and also be least credible, depending on the web site “operator”
Two sides of Web Credibility
figure,p149
Web Credibility Goals: web surfers determine what info is credible ( info quality) web designers create highly credible sites
The Stanford Web Credibility Studies
exerpt from online Web Credibility Survey in 1999, 1410 paticipants completed the survey, in 2002, 1481 participants
figure,p151
Web Credibility Survey
what makes web sites believable?
23. the site makes it hard to distinguish ads from content
much less believable -3 -2 -1 0 + 1 +2 +3 much more believable
24. the site offers info in more than one language
much less believable -3 -2 -1 0 + 1 +2 +3 much more believable
25. the site listed well-known corporate customers
much less believable -3 -2 -1 0 + 1 +2 +3 much more believable
26, the site is difficult to navigate
much less believable -3 -2 -1 0 + 1 +2 +3 much more believable
27. the site is rarely updated with new content
much less believable -3 -2 -1 0 + 1 +2 +3 much more believable
….
Demogarphics of study participants
form
1999study(1409 participants) 2002 study( 1649 participants)
Age(mean) 32.6 years old 35.5 years old
Gender 44% female, 56% male 45% female, 55% male
Country 41% U.S., 55% Finland, 4% elsewhere 3% U.S., 57% Finland, 10% elsewhere
Educational evel “college graduate” “college graduate”
(median)
Annul Income $40,000-$50,000 $40,000-$50,000
Years on internet 4-5 years >5 years
(median)
Average number of 13.5 hours/week 14.4 hours/week
hours/week spent
online (mean)
Average number of 1-5 purchases >5 purchases
purchases online
(median)
Findings
figure p154,scan it
these studies successful if they do any of the following:
· contradict one of your bunches about what makes websites credible
· generate a discussion (or argument) about web credibility
· lead your to form new hypotheses about web credibility
· motivate you to investigate web credibility
· change the way you perceive web sites
· change how you design web sites
Interpreting the Data
figure,p156
perceived trustworthiness of web site + perceived expertise of web site →perceived credibility of web site
unbiased knowledgeable ability to change
fair experienced people’s attitudes
honest intelligent and behanviors
trustworthiness and expertise on the web
trustworthiness and web cridebilty
trustworthiness elements that increase web credibility, form,p157
1999 2002
the site lists the org.’s physical addr. +2.0 +1.7
the site gives a contact phone number +1.9 +1.6
the site has articles containing citations and references +1.8 +1.3
the site gives a contact email addr. +1.6 +1.5
the site links to outside materials and sources +1.5 +1.2
trustworthiness elements that increase credibility: significant changes in 2002 results:
contact elements (bold text in the form above)get less great impact to credibility
“the site has articles containing citations and references” drop significantly, tho it is still important
trustworthiness elements that decrease web credibility, form p158
1999 2002
the site makes it hard to distinguish ads from content. -2.1 -1.9
the site links to a site u think is not credible -1.8 -1.4
the site aotamatically pops up new windows with ads -1.1 -1.6
the site domain name does not match company’s name -1.0 -1.1
trustworthiness elements that decrease credibility: significant changes in 2002 results:
pop up ads increase the damage on credibility
linking to a site which is not credible give less damage to credibility
expertise and web cridebilty
expertise elements that increase web credibility, form,p160
1999 2002
the site provides a quick response to your customer service quetions +2.2 +1.8
the site send email confirming trasactions u make +1.8 +1.2
the site lists author’s credentials for each article +1.8 +1.3
the site lets u search for past content (i.e.,archives) +1.6 n/a
the site looks professionally designed +1.6 + 1.5
the site has been updated since u last visit +1.5 +1.7
expertise elements that increase credibility: significant changes in 2002 results
quick response to customer service, sending emails confirmations and author’s credentials (bold text)get less great impact to credibility, for it is becoming standards
“the site has articles containing citations and references” drop significantly, tho it is still important
expertise elements that decrease web credibility, form p158
1999 2002
the site is rarely updated with new content -1.7 -1.7
the site has a link which doesn’t work -1.3 -1.4
the site has a typographical error -1.2 -1.3
the site is sometimes unexpectedly unavailable -1.1 -1.3
expertise elements that decrease credibility: no significant changes in 2002 results:
The Four Types of Web Credibility
presumed reputed surface earned
type of based on general assumptions based on third party based on simple inspection, based on 1st hand experience
credibility in the users’ mind endorsements, reports 1st impressions that extends over time
or referrals
web examples domain name won an award from looks professionally designed has consistently provided accurate
ends with “.org” PC Magazine info. over the pas year
presumed credibility on the web
key elements that increase presumed web credibility,form,p164
1999 2002
the site represents a nonprofit organization +1.2 +0.7
the site url ends with “.org” +0.9 +0.3
the site provides links to its competitors’ sites +1.1 +1.0
the site says it is an official site for a specific topic +0.8 n/a
significant changes in 2002 results:
nonprofits have lost luster
reputed credibility on the web
key elements that increase reputed web credibility,form,p165
1999 2002
the site displays an award it has won +0.8 +0.3
the site is linked to by a site which u think is believable +1.4 +1.3
the site was recommended to u by a friend +1.2 +1.0
awards, seals of approval, links from credible sources, word-mouth referrals boost credibility
Surface credibility on the web
key elements that increase surface web credibility,form,p168
1999 2002
the site looks professionally designed +1.6 +1.5
the site has been updated since your last visit +1.5 +1.7
one of the key element is visual design
key elements that decrease surface web credibility, form p168
1999 2002
the site makes it hard to distinguish ads from content -2.1 -1.9
the site automatically pops up new window with ads -1.1 -1.6
the site takes a long time to download -0.7 -1.0
the site requires a paid subscription to gain access -0.7 -0.9
the site has one or more ads on each page -0.7 -0.6
enhance surface credibility
fill users’ needs for info or services quickly
use homepage to convey expertise or trustworthiness to build surface credibility
Earned credibility on the web
key elements that increase earned web credibility,form,p171
1999 2002
the site provides a quick response to your customer service questions +2.0 +1.8
the site sends emails confirming transactions u make +1.8 +1.8
the site is arranged in a way that makes sense to u +1.5 +1.5
the site recognized u have been there before +0.7 +0.4
the site selects news stories according to your preferences +0.7 +0.6
the site has ads that match the topic u r reading +0.2 +0.2
key elements that decrease earned web credibility, form p171
1999 2002
the site is difficult to navigate -2.1 -1.9
enhance earned credibility
easy interaction
personalized info.
responsive to users
The Web Credibility Framework
catagory subcatagory elements that boost credibility (examples)
Operator organization or person 1.operator is respected organization
the organization 2.operator is a nonprofit organization
or person offering 3.site shows photos of organization’s
the site members
4.sites posts appropriate rules regarding content contribution
or other issue related to use the site
content info. 1.content is regularly updated
what the site provides the text, img, and sounds that have meaning 2.info. in more than one language
users in terms of info. for users,(e.g.,reviews of products, a journal 3.site lists authors’ credentials for each article
and functionality article, a graphic showing the weather forecast)
functionality 1.users can search past content(i.e., archives)
the work the site can do for the user (e.g., 2.pages r tailored to individual users
make travel reservations, translate from English 3.the site links outside materials & sources
to Spanish, calculate mortgages)
design info design 1.site is arranged in a way that makes sense to users
how the site is put together- the structure of info. on each page 2.ads r clearly differentiated from content
specifically, the integration and through the site
of 4 key design elements: technical design 1.search powered by google or another famous se
info.,technical, aethetic, how site works from a technical 2.the site is rarely down
and interaction standpoint 3.links from all pages work properly
aethetic design 1.site looks professionally designed
issues of taste- how things 2.high quality photographs of people
look, feel, and sound (content contributors or employees)
interaction design 1.site matches users’ expectations about what they
the overall, moment by moment should do at each step to accomplish their goals
experience of users as they go at the site
through the steps to accomplish
their goals
The Web Credibility Grid
The future of web credibility research and design:
Web credibility is difficult to study, for there is a host of factors external the web:
l users: how they process info, how they value individual components of credibility, their different goals… all influence credibility perceptions
l moving targets problem: web user base, user experience levels and web technology keep changing and evolved, research done in the past may no longer apply or useful
l different goals of users: different users have different goals on same sites, the same user has different goals on same site at different times.
Nonetheless, in accessing credibility, users will focus on the same basic factors: trustworthiness and expertise, and the four types of credibility remains constant: presumed, reputed, surface, and earned.