Spelling errors and shouting capitalization lead to additive penalties to trustworthiness of online health information: Randomized experiment with laypersons
Authors: Witchel, H.J., Thompson, G.A., Jones, C.I., Westling, C.E.I., Romero, J., Nicotra, A., Maag, B. and Critchley, H.D.
Journal: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Volume: 22
Issue: 6
eISSN: 1438-8871
DOI: 10.2196/15171
Abstract:Background: The written format and literacy competence of screen-based texts can interfere with the perceived trustworthiness of health information in online forums, independent of the semantic content. Unlike in professional content, the format in unmoderated forums can regularly hint at incivility, perceived as deliberate rudeness or casual disregard toward the reader, for example, through spelling errors and unnecessary emphatic capitalization of whole words (online shouting). Objective: This study aimed to quantify the comparative effects of spelling errors and inappropriate capitalization on ratings of trustworthiness independently of lay insight and to determine whether these changes act synergistically or additively on the ratings. Methods: In web-based experiments, 301 UK-recruited participants rated 36 randomized short stimulus excerpts (in the format of information from an unmoderated health forum about multiple sclerosis) for trustworthiness using a semantic differential slider. A total of 9 control excerpts were compared with matching error-containing excerpts. Each matching error-containing excerpt included 5 instances of misspelling, or 5 instances of inappropriate capitalization (shouting), or a combination of 5 misspelling plus 5 inappropriate capitalization errors. Data were analyzed in a linear mixed effects model. Results: The mean trustworthiness ratings of the control excerpts ranged from 32.59 to 62.31 (rating scale 0-100). Compared with the control excerpts, excerpts containing only misspellings were rated as being 8.86 points less trustworthy, those containing inappropriate capitalization were rated as 6.41 points less trustworthy, and those containing the combination of misspelling and capitalization were rated as 14.33 points less trustworthy (P<.001 for all). Misspelling and inappropriate capitalization show an additive effect. Conclusions: Distinct indicators of incivility independently and additively penalize the perceived trustworthiness of online text independently of lay insight, eliciting a medium effect size.
https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/33898/
Source: Scopus
Spelling Errors and Shouting Capitalization Lead to Additive Penalties to Trustworthiness of Online Health Information: Randomized Experiment With Laypersons.
Authors: Witchel, H.J., Thompson, G.A., Jones, C.I., Westling, C.E.I., Romero, J., Nicotra, A., Maag, B. and Critchley, H.D.
Journal: J Med Internet Res
Volume: 22
Issue: 6
Pages: e15171
eISSN: 1438-8871
DOI: 10.2196/15171
Abstract:BACKGROUND: The written format and literacy competence of screen-based texts can interfere with the perceived trustworthiness of health information in online forums, independent of the semantic content. Unlike in professional content, the format in unmoderated forums can regularly hint at incivility, perceived as deliberate rudeness or casual disregard toward the reader, for example, through spelling errors and unnecessary emphatic capitalization of whole words (online shouting). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to quantify the comparative effects of spelling errors and inappropriate capitalization on ratings of trustworthiness independently of lay insight and to determine whether these changes act synergistically or additively on the ratings. METHODS: In web-based experiments, 301 UK-recruited participants rated 36 randomized short stimulus excerpts (in the format of information from an unmoderated health forum about multiple sclerosis) for trustworthiness using a semantic differential slider. A total of 9 control excerpts were compared with matching error-containing excerpts. Each matching error-containing excerpt included 5 instances of misspelling, or 5 instances of inappropriate capitalization (shouting), or a combination of 5 misspelling plus 5 inappropriate capitalization errors. Data were analyzed in a linear mixed effects model. RESULTS: The mean trustworthiness ratings of the control excerpts ranged from 32.59 to 62.31 (rating scale 0-100). Compared with the control excerpts, excerpts containing only misspellings were rated as being 8.86 points less trustworthy, those containing inappropriate capitalization were rated as 6.41 points less trustworthy, and those containing the combination of misspelling and capitalization were rated as 14.33 points less trustworthy (P<.001 for all). Misspelling and inappropriate capitalization show an additive effect. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct indicators of incivility independently and additively penalize the perceived trustworthiness of online text independently of lay insight, eliciting a medium effect size.
https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/33898/
Source: PubMed
Spelling Errors and Shouting Capitalization Lead to Additive Penalties to Trustworthiness of Online Health Information: Randomized Experiment With Laypersons
Authors: Witchel, H.J., Thompson, G.A., Jones, C.I., Westling, C.E.I., Romero, J., Nicotra, A., Maag, B. and Critchley, H.D.
Journal: JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
Volume: 22
Issue: 6
ISSN: 1438-8871
DOI: 10.2196/15171
https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/33898/
Source: Web of Science (Lite)
Spelling errors and 'shouting' capitalization lead to additive penalties to trustworthiness of online health information: Randomized experiments with laypersons
Authors: Witchel, H., Thompson, G., Jones, C., Westling, C., Romero, J., Nicotra, A., Maag, B. and Critchley, H.
Journal: JMIR
Publisher: JMIR Publications
ISSN: 1438-8871
Abstract:BACKGROUND. The written format and literacy competence of screen-based texts can interfere with the perceived trustworthiness of health information in online forums, independent of the semantic content. Unlike in professional content, the format in unmoderated forums can regularly hint at 'incivility', perceived as deliberate rudeness or casual disregard towards the reader, e.g. through spelling errors and unnecessary emphatic capitalization of whole words (online 'shouting'). OBJECTIVE. To quantify the comparative effects of spelling errors and inappropriate capitalization on ratings of trustworthiness independently of lay insight, and to determine whether these changes act either synergistically or additively on the ratings. METHODS. In online experiments, 301 UK-recruited participants rated thirty-six randomised stimulus paragraphs in the format of information from an unmoderated health forum (about multiple sclerosis) for trustworthiness using a semantic differential slider. Nine control paragraphs were compared to error-containing paragraphs including 5 instances of misspelling, 5 instances of inappropriate capitalization (‘shouting’), or a combination of the two. Data were analysed in a Linear Mixed Effects model. RESULTS. The mean trustworthiness ratings of the control paragraphs ranged from 32.59 to 62.31 (rating scale 0-100). Compared to the control paragraphs, paragraphs containing only misspellings were rated as being 8.86 points less trustworthy, inappropriate capitalization was 6.41 less, and the combination of misspelling and capitalization was 14.33 less. Misspelling and inappropriate capitalization show an additive effect (P < .05 for all). CONCLUSIONS. Distinct indicators of incivility independently and additively penalize perceived trustworthiness of online text independently of lay insight, eliciting a medium effect size.
https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/33898/
Source: Manual
Spelling Errors and Shouting Capitalization Lead to Additive Penalties to Trustworthiness of Online Health Information: Randomized Experiment With Laypersons.
Authors: Witchel, H.J., Thompson, G.A., Jones, C.I., Westling, C.E.I., Romero, J., Nicotra, A., Maag, B. and Critchley, H.D.
Journal: Journal of medical Internet research
Volume: 22
Issue: 6
Pages: e15171
eISSN: 1438-8871
ISSN: 1439-4456
DOI: 10.2196/15171
Abstract:Background
The written format and literacy competence of screen-based texts can interfere with the perceived trustworthiness of health information in online forums, independent of the semantic content. Unlike in professional content, the format in unmoderated forums can regularly hint at incivility, perceived as deliberate rudeness or casual disregard toward the reader, for example, through spelling errors and unnecessary emphatic capitalization of whole words (online shouting).Objective
This study aimed to quantify the comparative effects of spelling errors and inappropriate capitalization on ratings of trustworthiness independently of lay insight and to determine whether these changes act synergistically or additively on the ratings.Methods
In web-based experiments, 301 UK-recruited participants rated 36 randomized short stimulus excerpts (in the format of information from an unmoderated health forum about multiple sclerosis) for trustworthiness using a semantic differential slider. A total of 9 control excerpts were compared with matching error-containing excerpts. Each matching error-containing excerpt included 5 instances of misspelling, or 5 instances of inappropriate capitalization (shouting), or a combination of 5 misspelling plus 5 inappropriate capitalization errors. Data were analyzed in a linear mixed effects model.Results
The mean trustworthiness ratings of the control excerpts ranged from 32.59 to 62.31 (rating scale 0-100). Compared with the control excerpts, excerpts containing only misspellings were rated as being 8.86 points less trustworthy, those containing inappropriate capitalization were rated as 6.41 points less trustworthy, and those containing the combination of misspelling and capitalization were rated as 14.33 points less trustworthy (P<.001 for all). Misspelling and inappropriate capitalization show an additive effect.Conclusions
Distinct indicators of incivility independently and additively penalize the perceived trustworthiness of online text independently of lay insight, eliciting a medium effect size.https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/33898/
Source: Europe PubMed Central
Spelling errors and 'shouting' capitalization lead to additive penalties to trustworthiness of online health information: Randomized experiments with laypersons
Authors: Witchel, H., Thompson, G., Jones, C., Westling, C., Romero, J., Nicotra, A., Maag, B. and Critchley, H.
Journal: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Volume: 22
Issue: 6
ISSN: 1439-4456
Abstract:BACKGROUND. The written format and literacy competence of screen-based texts can interfere with the perceived trustworthiness of health information in online forums, independent of the semantic content. Unlike in professional content, the format in unmoderated forums can regularly hint at 'incivility', perceived as deliberate rudeness or casual disregard towards the reader, e.g. through spelling errors and unnecessary emphatic capitalization of whole words (online 'shouting'). OBJECTIVE. To quantify the comparative effects of spelling errors and inappropriate capitalization on ratings of trustworthiness independently of lay insight, and to determine whether these changes act either synergistically or additively on the ratings. METHODS. In online experiments, 301 UK-recruited participants rated thirty-six randomised stimulus paragraphs in the format of information from an unmoderated health forum (about multiple sclerosis) for trustworthiness using a semantic differential slider. Nine control paragraphs were compared to error-containing paragraphs including 5 instances of misspelling, 5 instances of inappropriate capitalization (‘shouting’), or a combination of the two. Data were analysed in a Linear Mixed Effects model. RESULTS. The mean trustworthiness ratings of the control paragraphs ranged from 32.59 to 62.31 (rating scale 0-100). Compared to the control paragraphs, paragraphs containing only misspellings were rated as being 8.86 points less trustworthy, inappropriate capitalization was 6.41 less, and the combination of misspelling and capitalization was 14.33 less. Misspelling and inappropriate capitalization show an additive effect (P < .05 for all). CONCLUSIONS. Distinct indicators of incivility independently and additively penalize perceived trustworthiness of online text independently of lay insight, eliciting a medium effect size.
https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/33898/
Source: BURO EPrints