Cited by 2,205Psychology of Social InfluenceMarketing and Advertising StrategiesDigital Marketing and Social Media

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The Persuasiveness of Source Credibility: A Critical Review of Five Decades' Evidence

Pornpitakpan, Chanthika·2004·Journal of Applied Social Psychology

DOI 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2004.tb02547.x

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Abstract

This paper reviews the empirical evidence of the effect of credibility of the message source on persuasion over a span of 5 decades, primarily to come up with recommendations for practitioners as to when to use a high‐ or a low‐credibility source and secondarily to identify areas for future research. The main effect studies of source credibility on persuasion seem to indicate the superiority of a high‐credibility source over a low‐credibility one. Interaction effect studies, however, show source credibility to be a liability under certain conditions. The variables found to interact with source credibility are categorized into 5 categories: source, message, channel, receiver, and destination variables. The most heavily researched variables have been the message and receiver variables. Implications for marketers/advertisers and suggestions for future research are discussed.

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Nguyen, L. T. V., Nayak, R., Watkins, J., & Nguyen, P. N. D. (2019) · Young Consumers Insight and Ideas for Responsible Marketers · doi:10.1108/yc-01-2019-0938 · Cited by 22
And when shall a little child lead them? evidence for an altercasting theory of source credibility
Pratkanis, A. R., & Gliner, M. D. (2004) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-004-1002-5 · Cited by 27
Believability of Cigarette Warnings About Addiction: National Experiments of Adolescents and Adults
Lazard, A. J., Kowitt, S. D., Huang, L., Noar, S. M., Jarman, K. L., & Goldstein, A. O. (2017) · Nicotine & Tobacco Research · doi:10.1093/ntr/ntx185 · Cited by 22
Evaluating public web site information: a process and an instrument
Judd, V. C., Farrow, L., & Tims, B. J. (2006) · Reference Services Review · doi:10.1108/00907320510631571 · Cited by 22
ExplainitAI: When do we trust artificial intelligence? The influence of content and explainability in a cross-cultural comparison
Kang, S., Potinteu, A. E., & Said, N. (2025) · CHI Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA) · doi:10.1145/3706599.3720222 · Cited by 28
“Thus, it could be that for certain topics, people simply refuse to rely on information if it is opposed to one’s own beliefs, independent of who provides this information [27].”
Efficacy and authority of the message sender during emergency evacuations: a mixed methods study
Ploran, E. J., Trasciatti, M. A., & Farmer, E. C. (2018) · Journal of Applied Communication Research · doi:10.1080/00909882.2018.1464659 · Cited by 21
“In general, a high-credibility source is more persuasive than a low-credibility source in gaining behavioral compliance; however, Pornpitakpan (2004) found that variables that can interact with source credibility may ‘dramatically affect the superiority of a high-credibility source such that a…”
BackgroundMethod
Plea decision-making: the influence of attorney expertise, trustworthiness, and recommendation
Henderson, K. S., & Shteynberg, R. V. (2019) · Psychology Crime and Law · doi:10.1080/1068316x.2019.1696801 · Cited by 22
“To guide this research, we used social psychological theories on social influence and source credibility (Cialdini & Goldstein, 2004; Pornpitakpan, 2004).”
BackgroundMethodInfluential
The Effect of Advice Valence on the Perceived Credibility of Data Analytics
Chen, C. X., Hudgins, R., & Wright, W. F. (2021) · Journal of Management Accounting Research · doi:10.2308/jmar-2020-015 · Cited by 21
Product Endorsements on Instagram: Consumer Perceptions of Influencer Authenticity
Ardley, B., Craig, C., Hunt, A., & May, C. (2022) · Open Journal of Business and Management · doi:10.4236/ojbm.2022.103065 · Cited by 24
“In examining the concept of authenticity, it is difficult to ignore the plethora of literature that exists on source credibility, and the SMI, where similar concepts and research exist.”
BackgroundInfluential
The effect of transferable tax benefits on consumer intent to purchase an electric vehicle
Stekelberg, J., & Vance, T. W. (2024) · Energy Policy · doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2023.113936 · Cited by 21
Effects of Eco-Labels and Perceived Influencer Expertise on Perceived Healthfulness, Perceived Product Quality, and Behavioral Intention
Ko, Y., & Phua, J. (2024) · Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising · doi:10.1080/10641734.2023.2288813 · Cited by 21
“In previous research, expertise and trustworthiness are the two most important dimensions of source credibility (Hovland, Janis, and Kelley 1953; Pornpitakpan 2004).”
Anti-Scientific Americans
Motta, M. (2024) · doi:10.1093/9780197788844.001.0001 · Cited by 26
Are social media robot influencers credible? A cross-continental analysis in a fashion context
Baudier, P., & de Boissieu, E. (2025) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2024.108447 · Cited by 20
Reactions to ideological websites: The impact of emotional appeals, credibility, and pre-existing attitudes
Ness, A. M., Johnson, G., Ault, M. K., Taylor, W., Griffith, J. A., Connelly, S., Dunbar, N. E., & Jensen, M. L. (2017) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.061 · Cited by 17
Psychosocial Determinants of Teens’ Online Engagement in Drug Prevention Social Media Campaigns: Implications for Public Health Organizations
Dunn, H. K., Pearlman, D. N., Beatty, A., & Florin, P. R. (2018) · The Journal of Primary Prevention · doi:10.1007/s10935-018-0522-y · Cited by 21
“Moreover, research on source credibility indicates that also having youth share content with peers can improve message persuasiveness if peers perceive the youth source as trustworthy and well regarded (Pornpitakpan, 2004; Turner & Shepherd, 1999).”
Background
Credibility Assessment and Deception Detection in Courtrooms: Hazards and Challenges for Scholars and Legal Practitioners
Denault, V., & Dunbar, N. E. (2019) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-96334-1_47 · Cited by 22
The mediating roles of social benefits and social influence on the relationships between collectivism, power distance, and influenza vaccination among Hong Kong nurses: A cross-sectional study
Li, K., Chan, M. W. H., Lee, S. S., & Kwok, K. O. (2019) · International Journal of Nursing Studies · doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2019.05.007 · Cited by 21
Disconfirming Expectations: Incorrect Imprecise (vs. Precise) Estimates Increase Source Trustworthiness and Consumer Loyalty
Pena‐Marin, J., & Wu, R. (2019) · Journal of Consumer Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcpy.1117 · Cited by 21
Investors' attitudes toward source credibility
Schwarzkopf, D. L. (2006) · Managerial Auditing Journal · doi:10.1108/02686900710715620 · Cited by 21
“Research has shown that the perceived credibility of the source of information often plays a critical role in decision-making (see Pornpitakpan (2004)”
Background
Social Marketing Customer Orientation: A Conceptualization, Typology, and Conceptual Framework
Leo, C. (2013) · Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing · doi:10.1080/10495142.2013.759818 · Cited by 21
“Service providers who reinforce source credibility through expertise can increase consumers’ acceptance of solutions through increased cognitive understanding (Pornpitakpan, 2004).”
Background
The pervasive effects of argument length on inductive reasoning
Heit, E., & Rotello, C. M. (2012) · Thinking & Reasoning · doi:10.1080/13546783.2012.695161 · Cited by 21
“(For a review of other studies with similar results see Pornpitakpan, 2004.)”
Result
Credibility Signals from Soft Information: Evidence from Investor Reactions to Tone in Earnings Conference Calls
Hennig, J. C., Firk, S., & Wolff, M. (2023) · European Accounting Review · doi:10.1080/09638180.2023.2244009 · Cited by 20
“…157 by theoretical and experimental studies in the area of journalism (e.g., Atwood, 1966; Burgoon et al., 1975; Hovland & Weiss, 1951), newer studies on the subject have extended the focus to the persuasiveness of advertisements (e.g., Barnoy & Reich, 2022; Kim & Kim, 2021; Pornpitakpan, 2004).”
The formality effect
Linos, E., Lasky-Fink, J., Larkin, C., Moore, L., & Kirkman, E. (2023) · Nature Human Behaviour · doi:10.1038/s41562-023-01761-z · Cited by 23
“We situated this framework within a broader literature on persuasion, which has identified five distinct factors that can affect the persuasiveness of communication: source, message, channel, receiver and destination 31–33 .”
Beyond influence: unraveling the complex tapestry of digital influencer dynamics in hyperconnected cultures
Gammarano, I. D. J. L. P., Dholakia, N., Filho, E. J. M. A., & Dholakia, R. R. (2024) · European Journal of Marketing · doi:10.1108/ejm-07-2023-0552 · Cited by 24
Misinformation mayhem: the effects of TikTok content on ADHD knowledge, stigma, and treatment-seeking intentions
Schiros, A., Bowman, N., & Antshel, K. M. (2025) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-025-02769-8 · Cited by 27
“According to leading persuasion theories, messaging perceived as highly credible by the consumer is more likely to engender changes in consumer attitudes and behaviors [17].”
Microblogging reactions to celebrity endorsement: effects of parasocial relationship and source factors
Gong, W., & Li, X. (2018) · Chinese Journal of Communication · doi:10.1080/17544750.2018.1511607 · Cited by 20
“Celebrity endorser’s credibility and attractiveness were found to have positive effects on Aad, AP, and PI (Erdogan, 1999; Pornpitakpan, 2004; Silvera & Austad, 2004).”
Background
How Propaganda Techniques Leverage Their Advantages: A Cross-national Study of the Effects of Chinese International Propaganda on the U.S. and South Korean Audiences
Min, B., & Luqiu, L. R. (2020) · Political Communication · doi:10.1080/10584609.2020.1763524 · Cited by 20
“Unsurprisingly, some sources inspire greater trust than others (Dou et al., 2012), and empirical evidence for the influence of the credibility of the message source on persuasion indicates that high-credibility sources are more effective than low-credibility sources (Pornpitakpan, 2004).”
Background
Effectiveness of incentives offered by mobile phone app to encourage cycling: A long‐term study
Huang, B., Thomas, T., Groenewolt, B., Claasen, Y., & van Berkum, E. C. (2021) · IET Intelligent Transport Systems · doi:10.1049/itr2.12034 · Cited by 21
Algorithmic personalization of source cues in the filter bubble: Self-esteem and self-construal impact information exposure
Knobloch‐Westerwick, S., & Westerwick, A. (2021) · New Media & Society · doi:10.1177/14614448211027963 · Cited by 22
Celebrity endorsement using different types of new media and advertising formats
Uribe, R., Buzeta, C., Enrique Manzur, M., & Celis, M. (2022) · Academia Revista Latinoamericana de Administración · doi:10.1108/arla-08-2021-0167 · Cited by 20
Proscriptive Injunctions Can Elicit Greater Reactance and Lower Legitimacy Perceptions Than Prescriptive Injunctions
Pavey, L., Churchill, S., & SPARKS, P. B. (2021) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/01461672211021310 · Cited by 21
“A more expert source, although related to higher credibility and considered more highly influential in some persuasion contexts (see Pornpitakpan, 2004, for a review), can therefore lose its advantage when the communicator attempts to change important values or aspects of the person’s identity, as…”
Background
When Do Evaluators Publicly Express Their Legitimacy Judgments? An Inquiry into the Role of Peer Endorsement and Evaluative Mode
Broek, T. A. V. D., Langley, D., Ehrenhard, M., & Groen, A. J. (2022) · Organization Science · doi:10.1287/orsc.2022.1604 · Cited by 22
Make it part of the story: The role of product placement prominence and integration in fashion and beauty blogs among young digital natives
Cárdaba, M. Á. M., Fernández, A. E. S., Martínez, L. M., & Cambra, U. C. (2022) · Journal of Global Fashion Marketing · doi:10.1080/20932685.2022.2085607 · Cited by 20
“This also has important practical consequences since, as with any persuasive source, honesty, independence, and perceived transparency can determine the blogger’s credibility (Pornpitakpan, 2004).”
Background
Your posts betray you: Detecting influencer-generated sponsored posts by finding the right clues
Shen, R.-P., Liu, D., Wei, X., & Zhang, M. (2022) · Information & Management · doi:10.1016/j.im.2022.103719 · Cited by 24
Does source matter? Examining the effects of health experts, friends, and social media influencers on young adult perceptions of Instagram e-cigarette education messages
Lee, D. N., Liu, J., Stevens, H., Oduguwa, K., & Stevens, E. M. (2024) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111270 · Cited by 22
Patterns of belief and trust in climate change information
Johnson, V., Butterfuss, R., Harsch, R., & Kendeou, P. (2024) · Journal of Research in Science Teaching · doi:10.1002/tea.21967 · Cited by 18
“It is not merely the information itself that can have an influence on beliefs, attitudes, and behavior, but also the credibility or trustworthiness of the source of that information (Hovland & Weiss, 1951; Metzger et al., 2003; Pornpitakpan, 2004; van den Broek & Kendeou, 2022).”
How supervisors respond to employee voice: an experimental study in China and Japan
Yang, Y., Li, J., & Sekiguchi, T. (2019) · Asian Business & Management · doi:10.1057/s41291-019-00075-1 · Cited by 20
Experts, peers, or celebrities? The role of different social endorsers on children's fruit choice
Binder, A., Naderer, B., & Matthes, J. (2020) · Appetite · doi:10.1016/j.appet.2020.104821 · Cited by 20

Authors: Pornpitakpan, C.
Affiliations: Monash University Malaysia (MY)
Corresponding author: Pornpitakpan, Chanthika
Venue: Journal of Applied Social Psychology
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2004-02
Volume: 34
Issue: 2
Pages: 243-281
ISSN: 0021-9029 (ISSN-L)
1559-1816
DOI: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2004.tb02547.x
OpenAlex: W2157392583
Cited by: 2,205
References: 139
Citations by year: 2026: 180 · 2025: 183 · 2024: 173 · 2023: 184 · 2022: 185 · 2021: 173 · 2020: 187 · 2019: 135 · 2018: 99 · 2017: 119 · 2016: 90 · 2015: 88 · 2014: 84 · 2013: 84 · 2012: 50
FWCI: 69.70
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 911 d)
Locations: Journal of Applied Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychology of Social Influence
Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Marketing and Advertising Strategies
Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Digital Marketing and Social Media
Keywords: source credibility, persuasion, interaction effects, message characteristics, receiver characteristics, communication channels, advertising, marketing communication

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The Persuasiveness of Source Credibility: A Critical Review of Five Decades' Evidence

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