THE EFFECTS OF ONLINE COMMENTARY ON USERS’ INFORMATION PROCESSING IN THE CONTEXT OF ONLINE DISCUSSION FORUMS
Abstract
Online discussion forum, which plays an important role in online criticism, provides useful
information such as online commentaries generated by other users. The paper uses regulatory focus
theory to explain how online commentaries are processed differently depending on the user’s
information processing style and how each self-regulatory mode moderates the impact of online
commentaries on one’s overall evaluation of information. The study produces three major findings:
(1) Promotion-focused users are more likely to distort online information than prevention-focused
users do, (2) With hedonic information, information distortion will be stronger for promotion-focused
users as compared to prevention-focused users, (3) With utilitarian information, information
distortion will be stronger for prevention-focused people as compared to promotion-focused users.
These finding have implications for online discussion forums in terms of how to manage users
effectively and also how to prevent unintended criticism.
Recommended Citation
Chung, Sunghun; Yoon, Yeosun; and Han, Ingoo, "THE EFFECTS OF ONLINE COMMENTARY ON USERS’ INFORMATION PROCESSING IN THE CONTEXT OF ONLINE DISCUSSION FORUMS" (2009). ECIS 2009 Proceedings. 401.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2009/401