From Profile Attributes to Interaction Willingness: Authenticity Judgments in Online Social Networks
Paper Type
Complete
Paper Number
PACIS2026-1853
Description
Online social networks (OSNs) require users to rapidly evaluate unfamiliar profiles in conditions of information abundance, yet the cognitive mechanisms that translate these judgments into behavioural intentions remain underexplored. Our study examines how visual, relational, and textual profile attributes influence authenticity judgments and willingness to interact. We employed an exploratory vignette experiment varying nine Instagram profile attributes, including profile pictures, mutual followers, and bio-external links, to analyse their role in user decision-making. Our findings suggest that users engage in holistic, configurational processing rather than isolated attribute evaluation. While realistic visuals and relational endorsements function as potent heuristic anchors that elevate initial perceived authenticity, textual and numerical cues serve as coherence checks that can trigger deliberate analytic scrutiny. Notably, our results reveal a suspicious engagement paradox: users frequently express a willingness to interact despite recognising isolated "red flags," provided the overall profile configuration maintains a threshold of internal consistency.
Recommended Citation
Lamprecht, Robert; Eckhardt, Andreas; and Sams, Moritz, "From Profile Attributes to Interaction Willingness: Authenticity Judgments in Online Social Networks" (2026). PACIS 2026 Proceedings. 12.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2026/dig_sec/dig_sec/12
From Profile Attributes to Interaction Willingness: Authenticity Judgments in Online Social Networks
Online social networks (OSNs) require users to rapidly evaluate unfamiliar profiles in conditions of information abundance, yet the cognitive mechanisms that translate these judgments into behavioural intentions remain underexplored. Our study examines how visual, relational, and textual profile attributes influence authenticity judgments and willingness to interact. We employed an exploratory vignette experiment varying nine Instagram profile attributes, including profile pictures, mutual followers, and bio-external links, to analyse their role in user decision-making. Our findings suggest that users engage in holistic, configurational processing rather than isolated attribute evaluation. While realistic visuals and relational endorsements function as potent heuristic anchors that elevate initial perceived authenticity, textual and numerical cues serve as coherence checks that can trigger deliberate analytic scrutiny. Notably, our results reveal a suspicious engagement paradox: users frequently express a willingness to interact despite recognising isolated "red flags," provided the overall profile configuration maintains a threshold of internal consistency.
Comments
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