Evaluating Trustworthiness and Expertise of Information on Websites among the Undergraduate Students: The Role of Curiosity

Abstract Because of the necessity of assessing online resources and systems with reference to learning-related issues, this study aimed to investigate the impact of curiosity on evaluating websites’ information among university students. The study was an analytical survey and correlational. Based on Cochran sampling formula, the sample included 231 undergraduate students at the Faculty of Education and Psychology located at the Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. Two highly validated questionnaires were used to measure the two main variables of curiosity and websites’ information credibility. The data gathered were then analyzed by software SPSS 24.0. Pearson’s correlation test showed a significant correlation between dimensions of web information credibility and the curiosity except for deprivation sensitivity. According to the findings of the general regression model, three phases for affecting trustworthiness evaluation were acceptable based on social curiosity, joyous exploration, and thrill seeking, respectively. Furthermore, three phases for affecting expertise evaluation were acceptable based on joyous exploration, social curiosity, and thrill seeking, respectively. Students with deprivation sensitivity and stress tolerance were unable to find credible sources because of the negative emotions and experiences impeding them to do it well. Curiosity factors influenced the online credibility evaluation highly in the sense that almost half of the students’ evaluations were based on their curiosity-related traits.