{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,20]],"date-time":"2026-10-20T16:14:53Z","timestamp":1792512893835,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,27]],"date-time":"2025-10-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1761523200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    Public health communication increasingly relies on digital channels where advice is encountered from diverse sources that vary in source clarity (whether the sender is perceived as clearly identifiable) and social proximity (whether the sender is perceived as relationally close). To examine how these sources shape compliance with health advice, we conducted a randomized controlled online experiment (\n                    <jats:italic>N<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u202f=\u202f810) simulating a social media environment in which each participant viewed one weight-management post attributed to one of eight sources: parents, friends, colleagues, doctors, health influencers, news agencies, Wikipedia, or AI chatbots. We measured intended compliance and four cognitive responses: perceived credibility, psychological reactance, attention, and comprehension. Messages from single specified sources (parents, friends, colleagues, doctors, influencers, news agencies) increased intended compliance by 13\u201317 percentage points compared with composite diffuse sources (AI chatbots, Wikipedia). Within specified senders, significant others (parents, friends, colleagues) outperformed professional experts (doctors, influencers, news agencies) by 11\u201316 points. Mediation analyses showed that source clarity operated primarily through enhanced credibility, while social proximity operated through higher credibility and lower reactance; attention and comprehension did not mediate these effects. Subgroup analyses indicated stronger effects among participants with chronic conditions, higher health literacy, or behaviorally aligned daily routines. These findings suggest that, in a networked digital environment, compliance with health advice is influenced less by professional authority or aggregated information, and more by identifiable and socially close sources. The study provides evidence-based guidance for selecting sources and designing messages in public health promotion.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1661328","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,27]],"date-time":"2025-10-27T06:20:57Z","timestamp":1761546057000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Who do we follow online? An experimental study on source clarity and social proximity in digital health communication"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Junhui","family":"Li","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chunsheng","family":"Shi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","article-title":"2024 IFIC Food & Health Survey","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"635","DOI":"10.1086\/266350","article-title":"The influence of source credibility on communication effectiveness","volume":"15","author":"Hovland","year":"1951","journal-title":"Public Opin Q"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.1080\/03637759909376464","article-title":"Goodwill: a reexamination of the construct and its measurement","volume":"66","author":"McCroskey","year":"1999","journal-title":"Commun Monogr"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"243","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1559-1816.2004.tb02547.x","article-title":"The persuasiveness of source credibility: a critical review of five decades\u2019 evidence","volume":"34","author":"Pornpitakpan","year":"2004","journal-title":"J Appl Soc Psychol"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315126234","volume-title":"Personal influence: The part played by people in the flow of mass communications","author":"Katz","year":"2017"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"293","DOI":"10.1080\/23808985.2003.11679029","article-title":"Credibility for the 21st century: integrating perspectives on source, message, and media credibility in the contemporary media environment","volume":"27","author":"Metzger","year":"2003","journal-title":"Ann Int Commun Assoc"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"319","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444807075015","article-title":"The role of site features, user attributes, and information verification behaviors on the perceived credibility of web-based information","volume":"9","author":"Flanagin","year":"2007","journal-title":"New Media Soc"},{"key":"ref8","volume-title":"The MAIN model: A heuristic approach to understanding technology effects on credibility","author":"Sundar","year":"2008"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2618","DOI":"10.1001\/archinte.165.22.2618","article-title":"Trust and sources of health information: the impact of the internet and its implications for health care providers: findings from the first health information national trends survey","volume":"165","author":"Hesse","year":"2005","journal-title":"Arch Intern Med"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"93","DOI":"10.1080\/10410236.2020.1824662","article-title":"Do we trust the crowd? Effects of crowdsourcing on perceived credibility of online health information","volume":"37","author":"Huang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Health Commun"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"671","DOI":"10.1080\/10410236.2020.1712034","article-title":"Friends over doctors? The influences of source and perceived customization on college drinking","volume":"36","author":"Niu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Health Commun"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"991","DOI":"10.1080\/10410236.2018.1449552","article-title":"When information from public health officials is untrustworthy: the use of online news, interpersonal networks, and social media during the MERS outbreak in South Korea","volume":"34","author":"Jang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Health Commun"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"96","DOI":"10.1080\/10410236.2022.2159143","article-title":"\u201cI do not trust health information shared by my parents\u201d: credibility judgement of health (Mis)information on social Media in China","volume":"39","author":"Wu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Health Commun"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"805","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-022-13213-w","article-title":"Identifying features of source and message that influence the retweeting of health information on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"22","author":"Xie","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1776","DOI":"10.1080\/10410236.2020.1794553","article-title":"Evaluating the impact of attempts to correct health misinformation on social media: a meta-analysis","volume":"36","author":"Walter","year":"2021","journal-title":"Health Commun"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e54663","DOI":"10.2196\/54663","article-title":"TikTok as a source of health information and misinformation for young women in the United States: survey study","volume":"4","author":"Kirkpatrick","year":"2024","journal-title":"JMIR Infodemiol"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"781","DOI":"10.3390\/nu17050781","article-title":"#WhatIEatinaDay: the quality, accuracy, and engagement of nutrition content on TikTok","volume":"17","author":"Zeng","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1445778","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1445778","article-title":"What drives Chinese youth to use fitness-related health information on social media? An analysis of intrinsic needs, social media algorithms, and source credibility","volume":"12","author":"Zhang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1460-2466.2001.tb02872.x","article-title":"Conceptualizing sources in online news","volume":"51","author":"Sundar","year":"2001","journal-title":"J Commun"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1177\/0093650209351512","article-title":"Effects of online health sources on credibility and behavioral intentions","volume":"37","author":"Hu","year":"2010","journal-title":"Commun Res"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1360","DOI":"10.1086\/225469","article-title":"The strength of weak ties","volume":"78","author":"Granovetter","year":"1973","journal-title":"Am J Sociol"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1269","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1207055","article-title":"An experimental study of homophily in the adoption of health behavior","volume":"334","author":"Centola","year":"2011","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"88","DOI":"10.1080\/00913367.2015.1018461","article-title":"Reexamining health messages in the digital age: a fresh look at source credibility effects","volume":"44","author":"Kareklas","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Advert"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e72309","DOI":"10.2196\/72309","article-title":"Conversational agents supporting self-management in people with a chronic disease: systematic review","volume":"27","author":"Peerbolte","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1530799","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1530799","article-title":"Revolutionizing e-health: the transformative role of AI-powered hybrid chatbots in healthcare solutions","volume":"13","author":"Wah","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e69534","DOI":"10.2196\/69534","article-title":"Is this Chatbot safe and evidence-based? A call for the critical evaluation of generative AI mental health Chatbots","volume":"17","author":"Parks","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Participat Med"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1683498","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1683498","article-title":"The generative illusion: how ChatGPT-like AI tools could reinforce misinformation and mistrust in public health communication","volume":"13","author":"Joseph","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"154","DOI":"10.1080\/21670811.2017.1345645","article-title":"Fake news and the economy of emotions: problems, causes, solutions","volume":"6","author":"Bakir","year":"2018","journal-title":"Dig J"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1086\/209380","article-title":"The persuasion knowledge model: how people cope with persuasion attempts","volume":"21","author":"Friestad","year":"1994","journal-title":"J Consum Res"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1002\/arcp.1107","article-title":"Thirty years of persuasion knowledge research: from demonstrating effects to building theory to increasing applicability","volume":"8","author":"Isaac","year":"2025","journal-title":"Consum Psychol Rev"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1178","DOI":"10.1037\/a0039729","article-title":"Appealing to fear: a meta-analysis of fear appeal effectiveness and theories","volume":"141","author":"Tannenbaum","year":"2015","journal-title":"Psychol Bull"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"173","DOI":"10.1177\/0013164496056001014","article-title":"Refinement of the Hong psychological reactance scale","volume":"56","author":"Hong","year":"1996","journal-title":"Educ Psychol Meas"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"144","DOI":"10.1080\/03637750500111815","article-title":"On the nature of reactance and its role in persuasive health communication","volume":"72","author":"Dillard","year":"2005","journal-title":"Commun Monogr"},{"key":"ref34","first-page":"1","article-title":"The elaboration likelihood model of persuasion","volume-title":"Communication and persuasion: Central and peripheral routes to attitude change","author":"Petty","year":"1986"},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"561","DOI":"10.1080\/15213269.2015.1121829","article-title":"When self is the source: effects of media customization on message processing","volume":"19","author":"Kang","year":"2016","journal-title":"Media Psychol"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e1249","DOI":"10.2196\/jmir.1249","article-title":"Social media use in the United States: implications for health communication","volume":"11","author":"Chou","year":"2009","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e082007","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj-2024-082007","article-title":"Intermittent fasting strategies and their effects on body weight and other cardiometabolic risk factors: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials","volume":"389","author":"Semnani-Azad","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1002\/oby.23605","article-title":"The efficacy of morning versus evening exercise for weight loss: a randomized controlled trial","volume":"31","author":"Brooker","year":"2023","journal-title":"Obesity"},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"153","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jesp.2017.01.006","article-title":"Beyond the turk: alternative platforms for crowdsourcing behavioral research","volume":"70","author":"Peer","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Exp Soc Psychol"},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"22","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbef.2017.12.004","article-title":"Prolific. Ac\u2014a subject pool for online experiments","volume":"17","author":"Palan","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Behav Exp Finance"},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"297","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02310555","article-title":"Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests","volume":"16","author":"Cronbach","year":"1951","journal-title":"Psychometrika"},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1261","DOI":"10.1086\/230638","article-title":"Statistical methods for comparing regression coefficients between models","volume":"100","author":"Clogg","year":"1995","journal-title":"Am J Sociol"},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e2222116\u2013e2222116","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2022.22116","article-title":"Effect of text message reminders and vaccine reservations on adherence to a health system COVID-19 vaccination policy: a randomized clinical trial","volume":"5","author":"Patel","year":"2022","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open"},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"n1022","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.n1022","article-title":"Behavioral interventions to improve population health outreach for hepatitis C screening: randomized clinical trial","volume":"373","author":"Mehta","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"799","DOI":"10.1080\/10810730.2021.2010841","article-title":"COVID-19 news and misinformation: do they matter for public health prevention?","volume":"26","author":"Dhawan","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Health Commun"},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"460","DOI":"10.1038\/s41591-022-01713-6","article-title":"Misinformation: susceptibility, spread, and interventions to immunize the public","volume":"28","author":"Van Der Linden","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nat Med"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1661328\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,27]],"date-time":"2025-10-27T06:20:58Z","timestamp":1761546058000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1661328\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,27]]},"references-count":46,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1661328"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1661328","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,27]]},"article-number":"1661328"}}