Utilization of Advice from Face-to-Face and Internet-Mediated Advisors

Abstract

Advice is increasingly sought and shared online, but advisory professionals debate the utility of such methods. Variations in recipients' perceptions of elements of traditional face-to-face (FTF) advice and Internet-mediated (IM) advice may influence its utilization. The present research investigated whether communication format (FTF vs. IM) and an advisor's level of expertise influence perceptions and utilization of advice. Participants played 30 rounds of a prisoner's dilemma game after receiving advice about the best strategy. There was a significant tendency for advice to be followed, but the advice format and advisor expertise had no significant influence on advice utilization and only minor influences on self-reported perceptions of the advice and the advisor. This has worrying implications, and could indicate a lack of critical awareness of advisors' expertise when deciding whether to follow advice or not. Implications for the professional advice field and further research possibilities are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• advice
• computer mediated communication
• e-therapy
• expertise
• Internet-mediated communication
• online counseling
• prisoner's dilemma

Notes

^a Component 1.

^b Component 2.

^c Component 3.

#*Reverse coded when computing totals for components but not in this table.