The Effect of Top-Level Domains and Advertisements on Health Web Site Credibility
Author Information
Author(s): Joseph B Walther, Zuoming Wang, Tracy Loh, Mohan Dutta-Bergmann
Primary Institution: Cornell University
Hypothesis
Different top-level domains (.org, .com, .edu, .gov) influence the credibility of the Web site.
Conclusion
Health-information Web-site providers should select domains purposefully when they can, especially if they must accept on-site advertising.
Supporting Evidence
- Three dimensions of credibility (safety, trustworthiness, and dynamism) were identified.
- Advertisements had negative effects on credibility for .org domains but positive effects for .com and .edu domains.
- Participants spent a median of 37 seconds on a site and remembered the domain of the sites only 23% of the time.
Takeaway
This study looked at how the type of website and ads affect how trustworthy people think health information is. It found that the website's address matters a lot.
Methodology
Respondents examined one of 12 Web-site mock-ups and completed credibility scales in a 3 x 2 x 2 between-subjects experimental design.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in participant responses due to the method of data collection.
Limitations
The study may not generalize to all health information contexts as it focused on specific domains and advertising effects.
Participant Demographics
Median age of participants was 32, with 46% male and 53% female.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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