Trust mechanisms underlying the self-efficacy-rumour use relationship

Abstract

Purpose

Journalism students, a special user group with the dual perspective of both social media general users and online journalists, and their trust in rumours is a valued but understudied topic in relation to preparing rational information users and professionals for rumour control. To reveal these trust mechanisms, this paper aims to identify salient psychological and behavioural factors related to journalism students’ different levels of trust.

Design/methodology/approach

Using structural equation modelling to analyse the survey data of 234 journalism students, this paper tested a theoretical model that considers self-efficacy and the expressive and consumptive use of social media rumours as the antecedents and consequences of trust belief and trust action, respectively.

Findings

Self-efficacy has a positive effect on trust belief but a negative effect on trust action. Trust belief positively affects expressive use of rumours, whereas trust action negatively affects consumptive use.

Practical implications

This study contributes to the cultivation of future online news gatekeepers.

Originality/value

This paper distinguishes journalism students’ trust mechanisms from those of general users and online journalists. The integration of dual process theories provides insights into trust-building processes related to rumours and advances the understanding of the anchoring and adjustment effects of self-efficacy on trust.

Citation

Wang, P., Hu, Y., Li, Q. and Yang, H. (2021), "Trust mechanisms underlying the self-efficacy-rumour use relationship", The Electronic Library, Vol. 39 No. 2, pp. 373-387. https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-12-2020-0332