The Tendency of Trust in A Distrustful Environment: The Mediation Role of Contextual Perceptions in eWOM

Abstract

Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) has become an important information resource in today’s online community. This research examines how the trust towards eWOM messages is affected by one’s natural tendency to trust others (Dispositional Trust), the reliability and effectiveness of the current protective mechanism (Structural Assurance), and the pre-disposition to suspect all eWOM communications (eWOM Skepticism). The data analysis results show that both Structural Assurance and eWOM Skepticism partially mediate the influence of Dispositional Trust on Message Credibility. This finding highlights the importance of individuals’ perceptions toward eWOM communication, especially when eWOM message credibility is at stake.