On the Drivers of Information Adoption in Online Communities

Online communities have become a prevalent means for information exchange among individuals with shared interests. While several studies exist on the individuals’ motivation to contribute information to online communities, less is known about what factors drive information adoption in these communities. This article proposes a theoretical framework of antecedents of individuals’ adoption of contributed information in online communities. Drawing on the Elaboration Likelihood Model, we develop hypotheses regarding both central and peripheral routes of information evaluation and contend that information quality, information source trustworthiness, and information recipient level of trust in the online community are the main factors that influence adoption of information in online communities. Furthermore, we identify the antecedents of information source trustworthiness and information recipient trust in the online community.

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