Website Users’ Perceptions of Source Credibility Through Online Doctor Profiles: Cultural Differences Based on Doctors’ Approach to Medicine

Abstract

Using a between-subjects experimental design with an online post-test survey, the perception of a bio-psychosocial approach in relation to physician credibility was investigated. One hundred and fifty-five participants who were 19–62 years of age participated in the study. The major findings of this study include: (a) no gender differences were found in terms of the three sub-concepts of physician credibility, and (b) white participants preferred a bio-psychosocial approach to medicine while participants of color equally valued biomedical and bio-psychosocial approaches to medicine when controlling for attitude homophily and perception of the webpage esthetic.

KEYWORDS:

• Biomedical model
• bio-psychosocial model
• physician credibility
• online doctor profile
• attitude homophily
• race

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kikuko Omori

Kikuko Omori, Ph.D. ([email protected]) [University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee]) is an assistant professor in Communication Studies at California State University, Sacramento.

Carmen Stitt

Carmen Stitt, Ph.D. ([email protected]) [University of Arizona, Tucson] is a professor of Communication Studies at California State University, Sacramento.