The Generalizability of Source Credibility Scales for Public Figures.
James C. McCroskey · 1972
U.S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO, DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPIN IONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDU CATION POSITION OR POLICY 'PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS COPY RIGHTED MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY Cynthia Todd TO ERIC AND ORGP NIZATIONS OPERATING UNDER AGREEMEPTS WITH THE US OFFICE OF EDUCATION F.IRTHER REPRODUCTION OUTSIDE THE ERIC SYSTEM REQUIRES PER MISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNER This paner reports a portion of a series of in.q. 7,tigations designed to determine generalizability of source credibility se.4. s across various types of sources and various types of subjects. Semantic ifferential-scales that have Leen found to load on factors of source credibiJty in previous investigations were combined to provide an item pool for this f;tuuy. Six groups of subjects were asked to respond to public figures on the ccales. Sub.:acts included a random sample of adults in Bloomington-ormal, Illinois, a random sample of adults in Peoria, Illinois, college students in basic communication and speech classes at Illinois State University, the University of Southern California, Hampton Institute, and Nihon University in Tokyo, Japan. Results of the investigation indicate that the factor structure for source credibility for public figures varies from one subject to clother. The implications of this variability for reseas or :f.,,Irce creel)ility are discussed and suggestions are provided for researchers concerned with this variable. Paper presented at Speech Communication Association Convention Chicago, Illinois December, 1972