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Believe Me, I Have No Idea What I'm Talking About: The Effects of Source Certainty on Consumer Involvement and Persuasion

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  • Uma R. Karmarkar
  • Zakary L. Tormala

Abstract

This research explores the effect of source certainty-that is, the level of certainty expressed by a message source-on persuasion. The authors propose an incongruity hypothesis, suggesting that source certainty effects depend on perceived source expertise. In three experiments, consumers receive persuasive messages from sources of varying expertise and certainty. Across studies, low expertise sources violate expectancies, stimulate involvement, and promote persuasion when they express certainty, whereas high expertise sources violate expectancies, stimulate involvement, and promote persuasion when they express uncertainty. Thus, nonexpert (expert) sources can gain interest and influence by expressing certainty (uncertainty). (c) 2009 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..

Suggested Citation

  • Uma R. Karmarkar & Zakary L. Tormala, 2010. "Believe Me, I Have No Idea What I'm Talking About: The Effects of Source Certainty on Consumer Involvement and Persuasion," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 36(6), pages 1033-1049, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:36:y:2010:i:6:p:1033-1049
    DOI: 10.1086/648381
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    Cited by:

    1. Jie Chen & Wenjian Fan & Junlong Wei & Zunli Liu, 2022. "Effects of linguistic style on persuasiveness of word-of-mouth messages with anonymous vs. identifiable sources," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 33(4), pages 593-605, December.
    2. Sarah Magnotta, 2017. "A Conceptual Framework of A Customer’s Perception of Retail Salesperson Opportunism," International Journal of Business and Social Research, LAR Center Press, vol. 7(11), pages 1-8, November.
    3. Aghazadeh, Sanaz & Hoang, Kris, 2020. "How does audit firm emphasis on client relationship quality influence auditors’ inferences about and responses to potential persuasion in client communications?," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    4. McSweeney, Jordan J. & McSweeney, Kevin T. & Webb, Justin W. & Devers, Cynthia E., 2022. "The right touch of pitch assertiveness: Examining entrepreneurs' gender and project category fit in crowdfunding," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 37(4).
    5. Sungwoo Choi & Anna S. Mattila, 2018. "The Effect of Experience Congruity on Repurchase Intention: The Moderating Role of Public Commitment," Service Science, INFORMS, vol. 10(2), pages 124-138, June.
    6. Wu, Laurie & Shen, Han & Fan, Alei & Mattila, Anna S., 2017. "The impact of language style on consumers′ reactions to online reviews," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 590-596.
    7. Aghazadeh, Sanaz & Joe, Jennifer R., 2022. "Auditors' response to management confidence and misstatement risk," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    8. Vishal Narayan & Vithala R. Rao & Carolyne Saunders, 2011. "How Peer Influence Affects Attribute Preferences: A Bayesian Updating Mechanism," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(2), pages 368-384, 03-04.
    9. Darren W Dahl & Eileen Fischer & Gita V Johar & Vicki G Morwitz, 2017. "Making Sense from (Apparent) Senselessness: The JCR Lens," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(4), pages 719-723.
    10. Bodur, H. Onur & Tezer, Ali & Grohmann, Bianca, 2023. "Execution novelty: Improving brand evaluations in cause sponsorship," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    11. Taly Reich & Daniella M Kupor & Rosanna K Smith & Darren DahlEditor & JoAndrea HoeggAssociate Editor, 2018. "Made by Mistake: When Mistakes Increase Product Preference," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(5), pages 1085-1103.
    12. Vivian P. Ta & Ryan L. Boyd & Sarah Seraj & Anne Keller & Caroline Griffith & Alexia Loggarakis & Lael Medema, 2022. "An inclusive, real-world investigation of persuasion in language and verbal behavior," Journal of Computational Social Science, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 883-903, May.
    13. Wang, Xia & Yu, Chunling & Wei, Yujie, 2012. "Social Media Peer Communication and Impacts on Purchase Intentions: A Consumer Socialization Framework," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 198-208.
    14. Bob Fennis & Wolfgang Stroebe, 2014. "Softening the Blow: Company Self-Disclosure of Negative Information Lessens Damaging Effects on Consumer Judgment and Decision Making," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 120(1), pages 109-120, March.
    15. Paul R. Steffens & Clinton S. Weeks & Per Davidsson & Lauren Isaak, 2014. "Shouting from the Ivory Tower: A Marketing Approach to Improve Communication of Academic Research to Entrepreneurs," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 38(2), pages 399-426, March.
    16. Pezzuti, Todd & Leonhardt, James M. & Warren, Caleb, 2021. "Certainty in Language Increases Consumer Engagement on Social Media," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 32-46.
    17. Barkemeyer, Ralf & Comyns, Breeda & Figge, Frank & Napolitano, Giulio, 2014. "CEO statements in sustainability reports: Substantive information or background noise?," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 241-257.
    18. Yap, Kenneth B. & Soetarto, Budi & Sweeney, Jillian C., 2013. "The relationship between electronic word-of-mouth motivations and message characteristics: The sender’s perspective," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 66-74.
    19. Sarah Magnotta, 2017. "A Conceptual Framework of A Customer’s Perception of Retail Salesperson Opportunism," International Journal of Business and Social Research, MIR Center for Socio-Economic Research, vol. 7(11), pages 1-8, November.
    20. Kovacheva, Aleksandra & Nikolova, Hristina & Lamberton, Cait, 2022. "Will he buy a surprise? Gender differences in the purchase of surprise offerings," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 98(4), pages 667-684.
    21. Chen, Feier & Liu, Stephanie Q. & Mattila, Anna S., 2020. "Bragging and humblebragging in online reviews," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    22. Joshua J. Clarkson & Alan D. J. Cooke & Nathanael S. Martin, 2023. "Great expectations: argument order expectations shape the efficacy of order effects in one-sided advertisements," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 34(3), pages 383-395, September.
    23. Klein, Andreas & Sharma, Varinder M., 2022. "Consumer decision-making styles, involvement, and the intention to participate in online group buying," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    24. Wu, Laurie & Lee, Christopher, 2016. "Limited Edition for Me and Best Seller for You: The Impact of Scarcity versus Popularity Cues on Self versus Other-Purchase Behavior," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 92(4), pages 486-499.

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