隨著個人化資訊與搜尋引擎在網際網路上的盛行，口耳相傳(word-of-mouth)的傳播效果可能低於或超出行銷人員(marketer)的預期。特別是，一個當前最受歡迎且引人注意的工具，部落格(BLOG) ，早已被廣泛地運用在虛擬世界中，透過多樣化的呈現方式，如：文字、聲音、影像，分享個人想法。儘管由部落格(BLOG)引發許多與行銷有關的事件已經被新聞媒體所報導，然而大部分的行銷活動似乎並非起因於預先設計好的行銷決策。相反地，觀察這些受部落格(BLOG)影響的現象反而較可能是受到網路使用者的個人風格所影響。為良好運用這個在網路資訊傳遞方面具有潛在影響力的工具，關於部落格(BLOG)其背後的互動機制也將在本研究中進一步探討之。

本研究將從來源可性度理論(Source Credibility Theory)與歸因理論(Attribution Theory)的角度來解釋消費者，特別是那些擁有高度動機、且具備處理網路與部落格(BLOG)資訊能力的高涉入(high involvement)族群，他們對焦點產品的看法與評價可能受到張貼在部落格(BLOG)上面的資訊所影響。於此，本研究將從3個變量：訊息來源者(message author)，訊息來源處(message site)，以及訊息面向 (message sidedness)，其三者之間的干擾效果來解釋部落格(BLOG)溝通的說服有效性，並以線上網路問卷(on-line questionnaire)方式呈現一個虛構的部落格(BLOG)網站來進行相關的實驗設計。

When the personalized information and search engine such as Google prevail on Internet, the word-of-mouth effect can be undertaken both under and out of marketer’s control. In particular, a currently most popular and attention-getting tool, BLOG, has been extensively applied for sharing individual thoughts by various representations of words, voices, and visual images through cyber world. Even though a lot of marketing related events initiated out of BLOG have been reported by news media, it seems that most of them are not directed by pre-planned marketing decisions. Rather, the random idiosyncrasy out of internet users might be a better explanation on observed influential phenomena associated with BLOG. In order to well manipulate such a potentially powerful tool on Internet information delivery, in this research, the underlying mechanisms of communication process in BLOG will be explored.

This study takes Source Credibility Theory and Attribution Theory into account as the exploratory foundation to exam how consumers’, especially those who are so highly motivated and highly capable to search and process information on Internet and BLOG that these consumers can be categorized as in the condition of high involvement, perceptions and evaluations on focal products might be influenced by the information exposed on BLOG. The moderating effects among three variables, message author, message site (location), and message sidedness, will be proposed to explain the favorably persuasive effectiveness on BLOG communication. The experimental design will be conducted on on-line questionnaires with simulated BLOG web sites.

[1]Asyikin, N. (2003). “Lessons in community building: An inquiry into the role of weblogs in online community building”. Retrieved Jan 20, 2005, from： http://www.permanenthiatus.net/thesisblog/prop.html
[2]Bausch, Paul, Matthew Haughey, and Meg Hourihan, (2002), “We Blog: Publishing Online with Weblogs”, Indianapolis, IN: Wiley Publishing Inc.
[3]Blood, R.,(2000),”Weblogs: A history and Perspective”, Retrieved April 20 2005, from: http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/weblog_history.html
[4]Blood, R.,(2002),” The Weblog Handbook: Practical Advice on Creating and Maintaining Your Blog.” Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing.
[5]Brown, J.J. and Reingen, P.H.,(1987), “Social Ties and Word-of-Mouth Referral Behavior,” Journal of Consumer Research, 14,350-62
[6]Buttle, F.A.,(1998),”Word of Mouth: Understanding and Managing Referral Marketing “, Journal of Strategic Marketing, 6, 241 – 254
[7]Chebat, J.C., and Picard, J.,(1988),”Receivers' Self-Acceptance and the Effectiveness of Two-Sided Message”, Journal of Social Psychology, 128(3),353-362.
[8]Cox, D.F. and Rich, S.U., (1964),”Perceived Risk and Consumer Decision-Making: The Case of Telephone Shopping”, Journal of Marketing Research
[9]Crowley, Ayn E. and Hoyer, Wayne .D.,( 1994) “An Integrative Framework for Understanding Two-sided Persuasion," Journal of Consumer Research,20,561-574.
[10] Engel, J.E., Kegerreis, R.J. and Blackwell, R.D.,(1969), “Word-of-Mouth Communication by the Innovator”, Journal of Marketing, 15-19.
[11]Grewal, R., Cline.T.W and Davies,A ,T,A., (2003), “Early-Entrant Advantage, Word-of-Mouth Communication, Brand Similarity, and the Consumer Decision-Making Process”, Journal of Consumer Psychology, 13(3),187-197
[12] Haugtvedt, C.P. and Wegener, D.T., (1994), “Message Order Effects in persuasion: An Attitude Strength Perspective”, Journal of Consumer Research, 21, 205-219.
[13] Haugtvedt, C.P., Schumann,D.W., Schneier,D.W. and Warren,W.L.,(1994),”Advertising Repetition and Variation Strategies: Implications for Understanding Attitude Strength”, Journal of Consumer Research,21,176-189
[14]Heider, F.,(1958),”The Psychology of Interpersonal”, Relations. New York: Wiley
[15]Herr, P., Kardes F. and Kim J. (1991) “Effect of Word-of-Mouth and Product-Attribute Information on Persuasion: an Accessibility-Diagnostic Perspective”, Journal of Consumer Research, 17,454-62.
[16]Herring, S. C., Kouper, I., Scheidt, L.A., and Wright, E.,(2004),”Women and Children Last: The Discursive Construction of Weblogs”, Retrieved 01-05-05 from http://www.blogninja.com/women.children.pdf
[17] Hovland, C.I., Janis, I.L., and Kelley, H.H., (1953) ,“Communication and Persuasion” Yale University Press
[24]Hugstand, P., James W.T., and Grand D.B.,(1987), “The Effects of Social Risk on Consumer Information Search”, Journal of Service Marketing, 1, 47-52.
[18]Kar Yan Tam and Shuk Ying Ho (2005),” Web Personalization as a Persuasion Strategy:An Elaboration Likelihood Model Perspective”, Information Systems Research, 16(3), 271–291
[19]Kelley, H.H., and Michela, J.L.,(1972),“Attribution Theory and Research”, Annual Review of Psychology,31,457-501
[20]Kelly, H.H., (1967), “Attribution Theory in Social Psychology.”, Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, David Levine, ed., Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
[21]Kelman, H.C. and Hovland, C.I., (1953),” Reinstatement of the Communicator in Delayed Measurement of Opinion Change”, Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology
[22]Keller, K.L.,(1991), “Cue Compatibility and Framing in Advertising”, Journal of Marketing Research, 28, 42-58.
[23]Lewis, F. M. and Daltroy, L. H.,(1990), "How Causal Explanations Influence Health Behavior: Attribution Theory", In Glanz, K., Lewis, F.M. and Rimer, B.K. (eds.) Health Education and Health Behavior: Theory , Research. and Practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, Inc
[24]Martin .D and Lomax .W, (2001),” Word-of-Mouse vs. Word-of-Mouth: The Effects of the Internet on Consumer’s Pre-Purchase Information-Search Activities”, Kingston University, Occasional Paper Series No 45
[25]Meg Hourihan(2002), What We're Doing When We Blog, from: http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/javascript/2002/06/13/megnut.html
[26]Murray, K.B.,(1991), “A Test of Services Marketing Theory: Consumer Information Acquisition Activities”, Journal of Marketing, 55, 10-25.
[27]Petty, R.E. and Cacioppo, J.T.,(1982), “The Need for Cognition”, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42, 116–131
[28]Petty, R.E. and Gacioppo, J.T. (1984), "The Effects of Involvement on Responses to Argument Quantity and Quality: Central and Peripheral Routes to Persuasion," Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 69-8I.
[29]Petty, R.E. and Cacioppo, J.T.,(1986),” The Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion”, In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology,19, 123–205
[30]Petty, R.E., and Wegener, D.T., (1998), “Attitude Change: Multiple Roles for Persuasion Variables.” In D. T. Gilbert, S. T. Fiske, & G. Lindzey (Eds.), the handbook of social psychology, 1, 323–390. New York: McGraw-Hill.
[31]Petty, R. E. and Wegener, D.T.,(1999),”The Elaboration Likelihood Model: Current Status and Controversies”, In S. Chaiken & Y. Trope (Eds.), Dual-process theories in social psychology (pp. 37–72).
[32]Sadowski, C.J. and Cogburn, H.E., (1997),” Need for Cognition in the Big-Five Factor Structure”, Journal of Psychology
[33]Sternthal, B., Phillips, L.W., and Dholakia, R., (1978),” The Persuasive Effect of Source Credibility”, Public Opinion Quarterly, 285-314.
[34]Steuer, J.,(1992),“Defining Virtual Reality: Dimensions Determining Telepresence”, Journal of Communication, 42(4), 73-93
[35]Tormala, Z. L. and Petty, R. E., (2004), “Resistance to Persuasion and Attitude Certainty: A Meta-cognitive Analysis”, In E. S. Knowles & J. A. Linn (Eds.), Resistance and persuasion (pp. 65–82). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc
[36]Winer, D. (2003),”What Makes a Weblog a Weblog?” , from Weblogs At Harvard Law.
http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/whatMakesAWeblogAWeblog