Why so skeptical? Investigating the emergence and consequences of consumer skepticism toward web seals
研究了消费者对网络印章的怀疑态度如何产生，以及这种怀疑如何导致对信息提供者的不信任和安全感降低，基于757名参与者的在线实验。
Web seals have recently been subject to increasing skepticism from consumers. This study develops and tests a theoretical model of web seal skepticism by integrating multiple theoretical perspectives. We explore how web seal skepticism emerges and harms consumers’ perceptions. The results of an online experiment with 757 participants demonstrate that consumer skepticism increases consumers’ mistrust in information system providers and makes them feel less protected. Our findings also indicate that situational factors (web seal unreliability and seal authority incredibility) are significant antecedents of web seal skepticism and that consumers’ inferences of providers’ manipulative intent mediate the relationships.