AN EXAMINATION OF ADVERTISING CREDIBILITY AND SKEPTICISM IN FIVE DIFFERENT MEDIA USING THE PERSUASION KNOWLEDGE MODEL

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine differences in consumers' perceptions of advertising credibility for five media - newspapers, television, radio, magazines and the Internet - and the moderating role of persuasion knowledge in those perceptions. A survey of 330 college students was conducted. The results indicated that advertising credibility was highest for traditional media and lowest for the Internet. Advertising skepticism was highest for new media and lowest for print media. Moreover, knowledge about advertising influenced skepticism toward advertising in radio and newspaper, while suspicion of advertising affected credibility of advertising in each media. The findings are congruent with the Persuasion Knowledge Model of information processing and support the position that individuals use their persuasion knowledge when making judgments about advertisements.