"Some people know what they are talking about, others do not": Literature review on credibility and cognitive authority in information seeking

People acquire information daily from different sources, both subconsciously and consciously. By consciously and continuously filtering information, people learn to identify sources of information that should be trusted over less credible sources. This concept of trusting information can be separated into two concepts: cognitive authority and credibility. This literature review examines the definitions of these concepts and their role in information seeking. This entry contends that cognitive authority is a degree of influence that can be consciously recognized as proper, while credibility is defined by the judgment of trustworthiness and competence made by the perceiver. In addition, these concepts are closely related, as credible sources are potential cognitive authorities. The conclusion of this review states that the assessment of credibility and cognitive authority are both significant factors in how people perceive information. This conclusion also suggests the need for both more quantitative studies and an extended range of studies spanning more demographics than scholars and young people examined in the reviewed studies