Trust and the online conversation: the case of online reviews

摘要

Online reviews constitute one form of interpersonal influence that is relevant to the marketplace. They are a venue through which online conversations occur. Evidence suggests that the effectiveness of communication is heavily influenced by the level of trust between parties. However, relatively little is known about how trust impacts the online conversation. This research explores the online conversation by applying the ADTRUST scale to the online review environment. The results indicate that those who place trust in online reviews are more likely to be influenced by them. Those who are likely to be influenced by online reviews, in turn, are more likely to contribute a review. This suggests that a certain amount of reciprocation may be occurring in the online conversation. Trust does not have a direct effect on contributing online reviews. Instead, its effect is indirect, which is mediated by susceptibility to be influenced by online reviews.