1. Introduction:
Information seeking is the process or activity of
attempting to obtain information in both human and technological contexts. The information
seeking behaviour essentially refers to the strategies and actions undertaken
to locate discrete knowledge elements. It can be said that the behaviour which
yields the highest information satisfaction is the best.
2. Definition: Information
seeking behaviour refers to the way people search for and utilize information.
In 2000, Wilson described information behaviour as the totality of human behaviour
in relation to sources and channels of information, including both active and
passive information-seeking, and information use.
In
1976, Feinman and his colleagues defined information-seeking behaviour as
“specific actions performed by an individual that are specifically aimed at
satisfying information needs”
According
to James Krikela (1983) “information-seeking behavior begins when someone
realizes the existence of an information need and ends when that need is
believed to have been satisfied”. The seeker turns to formal and informal
sources of information and is ultimately satisfied or dissatisfied with the
result.
3.
Models: A
variety of theories of information behaviour - e.g. Zipf’s Principle of Least
Effort, Brenda Dervin’s Sense Making, Elfreda Chatman's Life in the Round -
seek to understand the processes that surround information seeking. The other
model of ISB includes Ellis (1989), Leckie, Pettigrew and Sylvain (1996),
Savolainen (1995), Johnson (1997) and Wilson (1999), Sonnenwald & Livonen
(1999), Spink & Cole (2006) and Spink & Cole (2007). The following
models can be used to describe the information seeking behaviour of the users.
a) Principle of Least Effort: Principle of least effort theory is
developed by George Kingsley Zipf. He explains that information seekers
prioritise the most convenient path to acceptable information.
b) Sense Masking: Sense Making theory is developed by Brenda Dervin in
1983. Sensemaking as a method through which people make sense of their worlds
in their own language. Her description of Sensemaking consisted of the
definition of how we interpret information to use for our own information
related decisions.
c) Life in the Round: Life in the round theories is developed
by Elfreda Chatman. She defines life in the round as a world of tolerated
approximation. It acknowledges reality at its most routine, predictable enough
that unless an initial problem should arise, there is no point in seeking
information.
d) Information Search Process (ISP): ISP was proposed and developed by
Carol Kuhlthau in 1991 and it is a 6-stage process, with each stage each
encompassing 4 aspects;
i) Cognitive
(thoughts) - what is to be accomplished
ii) Affective
(feelings) - what the searcher was feeling
iii) Actions
(physical) - what the searcher did
iv) Strategies
(physical) - what the searcher was trying to achieve.
e) Episodic Model: The episodic model was developed by Nicholas J.
Belkin. This model is based largely on intuition and insight and concentrates
on interactions with information. There are 4 dimensions which characterise
search behaviour. These dimensions can be combined in 16 different ways.
i) Method of
interaction (scanning/searching)
ii) Goal of
interaction (learning/selecting)
iii) Mode of
retrieval (recognition/specification)
iv)
Resource considered (information/meta-information)
f) Krikelas
Model of ISB: James
Krikelas (1983) was the first to develop an information seeking model derived
from published Library and Information Science (LIS) literature about
information needs and uncertainty. Krikelas suggests that a user perceives a
need within the context of his/her environment. The individual recognizes an
inadequacy in his/her knowledge which requires resolution in order to deal with
a problem, thus leading the user on a search for information through various
information sources. These could be human sources, information systems or any
other information resources. The process may result in either success or
failure; in the latter’s case the process can be repeated.
g) Wilson Model
of ISB: Wilson’s
model has its origins in 1981. The main aim of this attempt was not so much
model building, but mainly describing interrelationships between concepts. This
model identified 12 components involved in the information seeking process.
Wilson determined that the satisfaction of an information need is proposed to
be the driving force behind the action taken by a user. In order to satisfy a
perceived information need, demands are made upon either formal or informal
sources/services resulting in failure or success. Success leads to the
utilization of the information, which results in fully or partially fulfilling
the perceived need, should this not be the case, the search process is
repeated.
Wilson gave another model in year 1981
which may be identified as Wilson’s second model of 1981. This diagram models
the idea of the personal, social role, and environmental context that may give
rise to a need for information.
4. Conclusion: Information
seeking has generally been accepted as dynamic and non-linear. People
experience the Information Search Process as interplay of thoughts, feelings
and actions. Information seeking has been found to be linked to a variety of
interpersonal communication behaviour beyond question-asking, to include strategies
such as candidate answers.
How to Cite this
Article?
APA Citation, 7th Ed.: Barman, B. (2020). A comprehensive book on Library and Information Science. New
Publications.
Chicago 16th Ed.: Barman, Badan. A Comprehensive Book on Library and Information Science. Guwahati:
New Publications, 2020.
MLA Citation 8th Ed: Barman, Badan. A Comprehensive Book on Library and Information Science. New
Publications, 2020.

No comments:
Post a Comment