The impact of subjective language and digital background on perceived trustworthiness of news sources on Instagram.
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2024-07-05
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en
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This study investigates the impact of subjective language and digital background on perceived trustworthiness of news sources on Instagram. The study found that subjectivity in language caused an effect on perceived trustworthiness. Participants rated news sources with subjective captions as less trustworthy compared to news sources with objective captions, highlighting the importance of language manipulation in credibility assessment. Digital background (digital natives vs digital immigrants) did not significantly affect perceived trustworthiness, suggesting a preference for objectivity in news for all demographics. The study builds on prior research on news consumption behaviour by linking language subjectivity and digital background to the assessment of news sources on social media. Limitations include the use of fictitious sources and a small sample size. Future research should explore cultural and linguistic influences on news perception and consider other social media platforms for a more comprehensive understanding of credibility assessment in a news context.
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Faculteit der Letteren