Indicators of trustworthiness in lay-friendly research summaries: Scientificness surpasses easiness.

ABSTRACT: Lay readers' trust in scientific texts can be shaped by perceived text easiness and scientificness. The two effects seem vital in a time of rapid science information sharing, yet have so far only been examined separately. A preregistered online study was conducted to assess them jointly, to probe for author and text trustworthiness overlap, and to investigate interindividual influences on the effects. N = 1467 lay readers read four short research summaries, with easiness and scientificness (high vs low) being experimentally varied. A more scientific writing style led to higher perceived author and text trustworthiness. Higher personal justification belief, lower justification by multiple-sources belief, and lower need for cognitive closure attenuated the influence of scientificness

SUBMITTER: Jonas M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10756015 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature