Information Behavior Studies Research Articles

A review of the literature on spirituality and religion in information research – 1990 to 2022

PurposeMore than eight in ten people worldwide identify with a religious group. In addition, people often engage with spiritual and religious content despite having no formal beliefs or affiliations. Spirituality remains a prominent feature of Western and Westernised information-based societies and cultures; however, people’s everyday interactions with spiritual and religious information have received disproportionate attention in information and library science research. Accordingly, this paper aims to understand how scholars have explored religion and spirituality in information research and identify current and emerging trends in the literature.Design/methodology/approachThis paper analyses 115 peer-reviewed articles, 44 book chapters, 24 theses and 17 unrefereed papers published between 1990 and 2022 to present a narrative review of how scholars have explored spirituality and religion in information research. The reviewed literature is first organised into spirituality-related and religion-related articles and thereafter analysed in Internet studies, information behaviour studies and galleries, libraries, archives and museums-related research groups.FindingsOur analysis indicates scholars in Internet studies have researched both established and alternative religious interactions, and emerging research agendas seek to explore intersections between traditional religious authority and modern Internet-facilitated engagements. Information behaviour scholars have examined interactions in Christianity and Islam, focused primarily on Western contexts and conventional interactions, with emerging research aiming to explore diverse contextual and methodological combinations. Finally, GLAM researchers have investigated the practicality, suitability, and appropriateness of spirituality and religion-related service provisions; however, a clear research agenda is currently lacking in spirituality and religion information research more broadly.Originality/valueThis paper is the first review of the spirituality and religion-related information research spanning Internet studies, information behaviour studies and galleries, libraries, archives and museums research domains.

Models and theories that can guide grief and bereavement information interventions: an information behaviour lens

Introduction. Information behaviour in grief, bereavement, death, dying and its influence on the development of information interventions is understudied. Although pragmatic and evidence-based practices work well, theoretical and conceptual models, research findings and theories should inform grief and bereavement information interventions developed by specialist counsellors. Extensive literature on death, dying, grief and bereavement counselling/therapy and information behaviour per se, does not address this need. This paper reports on work in progress exploring existing theories and models that might guide research. Method. Scoping review of literature from applicable disciplines (health, social work, religion, psychology, library/information science) for theories/models reported in grief and bereavement counselling and bereavement information intervention design. The focus is on information behaviour and all related information activities. Analysis. Two tables based on a content analysis that show theories/models that hold value for information interventions and studies of information behaviour. Results. The analysis reveals a spectrum of theories including grief theory, grief stage theory, theory of motivated information management. Models for consideration include bereavement model, transtheoretical model (narratives), social interaction model. Conclusion. Information behaviour research should continue to strive in conceptually and theoretically informing grief and bereavement information interventions, practices and work in grief and bereavement counselling.

Research on information behavior in communities: a scoping review of community types, featured information behavior and research methods

PurposeThis scoping review article examined research on information behavior in communities over the past two decades (2000–2023). The review aims to uncover the characteristics and types of communities studied, the featured information behaviors, and the research methods employed.Design/methodology/approachThe PRISMA-ScR guidelines were followed to conduct this review. Five databases were selected to search for relevant empirical research. A total of 57 studies met the inclusion criteria for review. Thematic synthesis was used to analyze the multidimensional findings of included studies.FindingsA steady increase in the number of articles is evident in the past two decades. The review suggests that information behavior in community studies involved collaboration from other disciplines, such as public health and business management. More than half of the communities studied are virtual communities (56.1%), followed by communities of identity, professional communities and support communities, communities of interest, geographic communities, and academic communities. There are overlaps among these categories. Information sharing (63.2%) and information seeking (57.9%) were the most studied behavior of communities, followed by information use, information needs, and information judgment. Questionnaires (38.6%) and interviews (35.1%) were the most commonly used data collection techniques in studying information behavior in communities. It is noteworthy that eleven (19.3%) mentioned utilizing community-engaged approaches.Originality/valueThis is the first scoping review to explore the intersecting constructs of community research and information behavior studies. We call for further research to understand the contextual factors that shape the community’s information environments and to increase awareness of the partnership between communities and researchers.

Perilaku informasi penggemar grup k-pop NCT Dream di media sosial Twitter

Introduction. This paper investigate information behavior of NCT Dream fans (The South Korean Boy Band) on Twitter. Previously, from research perspectives, fan behavior and their information behavior studies have not been discussed deeply. Fans have unique ways to use information by collaboratively creating, organizing, disseminating, and sharing information. Research Methods. The paper used a virtual ethnographic research method with a qualitative approach. Observations were conducted to explore the exchange of information and interaction between fans with text, images, video and audio among fellow fans. Data was collected by observations, researchers played a role as participants. Data Analysis. The paper followed the three stages of coding: open coding, axial coding, selective coding. Results and Discussion. Fans are able to create their own information, which later it is considered as community knowledge, although the source of information is not official. The fans demonstrate collaborative, creative, sharing, and performative activities that engage further with information. Conclusion. Fan information behavior involves information creation, information organization, information production, and production. Information behavior of fans on Twitter is informal, diverse, and evolving from the model of fan information behavior offered by Price. Furthermore, because fan behavior has shifted to textual productivity, this information behavior model is very helpful in identifying fans on social media. However, crowdfunding appear as one additional behavior inPrice's information behavior model.

“Knowing these stories”

In this article, I explore the ways participants in underground dance music (UDM) scenes learn about the political, historical, and social context of their leisure pursuit, such as its queer-of-colour roots, gender dynamics, and economic structures. Semi-structured interviews and information horizon mapping with three Toronto UDM scene members revealed that the online and physical spaces of UDM served as information grounds for the participants’ initial serendipitous discovery of social context information, which led to further intentional seeking in books, libraries, and beyond. Established UDM information sources and normative expectations shaped the participants’ information behaviour, leading them to infer the political stances of DJs and other scene participants based on musical taste and identity. Finally, social context information shapes the participants' experiences of UDM, affecting their sense of community, safety, and belonging. The serious leisure perspective has thus far focused on information behaviours related to the pursuit of the hobby itself, such as, in the present context, finding events or learning to DJ. This study opens up a new direction by considering how social context information flows through and shapes the social world of the hobby. As rising mainstream awareness of structural oppressions leads to more people and communities considering how these oppressions manifest in every aspect of their lives, this perspective will be germane to information behaviour studies in several contexts.

Engaging Participants in Online Interviews: Lessons Learned from Implementing a Participatory Visual Approach in Two Explorative Health Information Behavior Studies

ABSTRACTThis article provides a theoretical background on participatory approaches in (health) information behavior studies. Furthermore, it introduces and discusses the implementation of a visual participatory approach applied in two explorative health information behavior studies, each conducted online via Zoom and with the virtual whiteboard Miro. One study examined the health information behavior and digital well‐being of individuals with social anxiety (n = 22), while the other explored health information behavior in the context of false information and scientificity (n = 21). The approach aimed to actively engage participants within the interview setting through creative and visual elaboration and representation of health information interactions using the virtual whiteboard Miro. Findings show that using visual materials during face‐to‐face interviews facilitated the communication about sensitive health content and supported to capture key statements in situ, promoting the externalization of tacit knowledge during the interviews. Despite the content differences of the two studies, the unifying aspect examined in this article is how the implementation of the visual participatory approaches could enhance interview settings and lead to gathering rich data. This article fills a gap for methodological considerations of participatory techniques within (health) information behavior studies.

Individual variations in information behaviour of professional translators: towards a classification of translation-oriented research styles

ABSTRACT In the era of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation, studying human behaviour is becoming ever more pressing. The variety of human behaviour within translation studies (TS) research has been given some attention, but the area of individual differences in translators, especially regarding their translation-oriented research activities, has received little consideration in either TS or Information Behaviour (IB) studies. This article reports on a quasi-naturalistic, observational, mixed methods study of professional translators’ research activities designed to capture the similarities and differences in how those activities are carried out. The outcome is a taxonomy of translation-oriented research styles which illustrates the wide spectrum of research behaviours as observed and reported by sixteen participants, but the article also points towards a potential tendency for the homogenization of translation-oriented research behaviour in the digital age.

The use of one-on-one interviews in library and information science: A scoping review

Individual interviews are not commonly used in library and information science (LIS). A content analysis of research papers published between 2015 and 2020 in seven journals yielded 323 articles applying interviews. Selected papers, extracted from the Scopus database, were examined qualitatively and quantitatively to find the description of the type of interview, the use of additional research methods, the number of interviewees and the topics of the studies. Interviews appeared in 11% of the research papers, confirming previous studies. They are often combined with other methods, in particular surveys and observations. Half of the interviews were conducted with up to 15 participants. Individual interviews were used most frequently in studies of information behaviour (19% of the papers), librarians, information retrieval and web search. This study contributes to better understanding interviews as a LIS research method and may facilitate the planning of research projects.

Qualitative researchers' experiences of methodological instruction and technology use

Academic libraries frequently offer research support services aimed at graduate students out of a recognition that coursework may leave gaps in the preparation students need for development into independent scholars. Needs assessment and information behavior studies have been used to better understand the graduate student experience and to develop new services. This research, however, has largely not been used to examine student experiences around the use of different methods, though there is evidence that existing data-related services in libraries are not inclusive of research using qualitative data and methods. This study uses a reflexive approach to thematic analysis and interviews with 19 graduate students and faculty members to explore how participants learned to conduct qualitative research and use technology in their data analysis. The themes identified show that novice researchers draw on a complex web of relationships and information sources to learn research methods, and that using technology for data analysis is an ongoing and time-consuming process of negotiating access. These themes point to potential actions for libraries to develop a more robust infrastructure that supports qualitative work through both instruction and information curation.

Do Systemic Inequities Lead to Differences Between Information Behaviors of Older Adults in the USA and India During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

A Review of: Lund, B. D., & Maurya, S. K. (2022). How older adults in the USA and India seek information during the COVID-19 pandemic: A comparative study of information behavior. IFLA Journal, 48(1), 205–215. https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352211024675 Objective – To investigate and compare the information-seeking behaviors of older adults in one developing and one developed country during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design – Structured interviews via Zoom (video), telephone, or email. Setting – Two towns with moderately large populations (about 300,000), one in eastern India and one in the Midwest of the USA. Subjects – Sixty adults ages 65 and older, 35 in the India cohort and 25 in the USA cohort. Methods – The researchers recruited participants from the communities in which their respective institutions are located by using online advertisements in Facebook groups, local (print) advertisements/flyers, and word of mouth. The ten interview questions were informed by Dervin’s (1998) sense-making methodology and sought to identify a specific information need, behavior to address the need, and the influences on and outcomes of the behavior. They conducted the interviews in July and August of 2020, translated the questions into Hindi for Hindi-speaking participants, and analyzed responses using qualitative content analysis. Within each of the resulting themes and categories, the researchers compared the responses of American and Indian participants. Main Results – The researchers found many significant differences between the information behaviors of Indian and American participants. Some of the biggest differences were in the information needs expressed by the participants, as well as the sources consulted and the reasons for consulting those sources. For example, when asked about the types of information needed, 77% of Indians focused on a “COVID and health-related” information need, as opposed to only 33% of Americans. And 37% of Americans indicated information needs related to “political and economic issues,” especially the upcoming 2020 election, as opposed to only 3% of Indians. When asked about sources, 28% of Indians consulted television, compared to only 6% of Americans. Web-based sources were generally used more by Americans, with 31% of Americans consulting websites, compared to 13% of Indians. In regard to their reasons for consulting a source, 28% of Indians chose a source based on availability, compared to only 9% of Americans. And 32% and 36% of Americans chose information based on ease and familiarity (“I know how to find it”), compared to only 18% and 13% of Indians, respectively. Only 3% of Indians met all their information needs, as opposed to 43% of Americans, and Indians were more likely to stop searching after encountering barriers. Americans had more confidence in their information behavior overall, and only 32% of Americans were interested in taking a class on how to find information, as opposed to 97% of Indians. Conclusion – Older adults in developing and developed countries described very different information-seeking experiences. The disparities between the types of information sought, sources consulted, and barriers encountered highlight not only cultural differences, but also systemic inequities that exist between the information infrastructure of the two countries, especially as concerns access to computers and the Internet. The study points to areas for future improvement, including the need for interventions such as information literacy instruction.

A User Study in a Pandemic: Some Lessons Learned

ABSTRACTDuring the COVID‐19 pandemic, some research that otherwise would have been conducted in person pivoted to online platforms. This poster paper describes lessons learned from an online study of information behavior by individuals with long‐term information needs, focusing on what was learned about how to conduct such a study online. Broadly, three themes are evident: (1) Trust mechanisms were weaker than would be expected for an in‐person study, resulting in greater coordination difficulties; (2) What seemed to be a fair reimbursement rate appears to have provided an outsized incentive for fraud; and (3) Zoom proved to be sufficiently capable as a platform for remote use of software for a study that had not originally been designed with remote use in mind.

Thinking like a bricoleur: New forms of rigor in research on information experience

Research on information behavior, practice, and experience focuses on complex topics embedded in multiple circles of context. LIS researchers in these areas often adopt interpretive, participatory, or critical methods. Yet, they just as often are ambivalent to measurements of rigor, or they unintentionally use positivist criteria to measure quality. Each of these decisions is indicative of a deep-seated assumption about the nature of objectivity and subjectivity. Bricolage offers researchers a way to think about research outside of this assumption: to understand the object of inquiry as it really is, not as the researcher frames it. Thinking like a bricoleur, researchers circumvent exact research protocols and cultivate difference by combining methods, methodologies, theories, and philosophical positions in creative ways. Bricolage already has a toehold in LIS research, but the diverse topics and methods that researchers bring to studies of information behavior, practice, and experience call for greater engagement with it.

Information-seeking Barriers Encountered by MTN Asonge Shareholders Residing in the Capricorn District, Limpopo, South Africa

Little seems to be known of the information-seeking behaviour of investors. This is despite the fact that investors, in order to determine the risks and opportunities underlying any investment business, are expected to seek information before making an investment decision. Various information behaviour studies have shown that a combination of personal and contextual factors could act as barriers to information. The purpose of this article is to report on a study that explored the information-seeking barriers that black investors in the MTN Asonge Scheme, Capricorn District in Limpopo, South Africa, encounter when they seek information while using electronic resources. A qualitative, phenomenological research approach was followed. Purposive snowball sampling was applied to sample the study respondents, who were later interviewed. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with six investors to collect data, which were subsequently analysed thematically. The findings indicated that the major barriers that affect MTN Asonge investors when using electronic information sources, are of a personal and contextual nature. Personal barriers include a lack of information search skills, inadequate investment literacy and an inability to interpret investment information. The contextual barriers they encountered include internet search costs, poor internet connectivity and a lack of active email accounts. This study significantly adds to the limited existing body of literature on challenges faced by black investors in an everyday life context, particularly in rural settings, when seeking information by using electronic resources.

Comparative Study of Physicochemical and Acoustic Properties of Binary Liquid Mixtures of Cyclopentyl Methyl Ether with Chlorobenzene and Cyclopentyl Methyl Ether with Methyl Acrylate at 298.15 K Temperature

Physicochemical and acoustic propertie of liquid mixtures give knowlegeble information behaviour and interactions studies of liquids. Ultrasonic studies in liquids and solutions provide some valuable information about the structure and interaction in such systems. Ultrasonic velocity and density have been proved to be important properties to test the validity of liquid state model. The ultrasonic velocity (U) and density (ρ) of the binary liquid mixtures Chlorobenzene (polar)+Cyclopentyl methyl ether (nonpolar) [system I] and Methyl acrylate (polar) +Cyclopentyl methyl ether (nonpolar) [system II] are measured at 298.15 K temp. with pure components. With the help of these measured properties are calculated excess acoustic parameters using standard relations. Excess acoustic parameters are used as a qualitative and quantitative analysis in multicomponent liquid mixtures. The sign and magnitude of excess parameters provided information of different type interactions. Structural chemistry is related to the interactions involved in the liquid systems. structural effects also define nature and bonding of both liquid mixture system I and II.

Conversational Voice Assistants and a Case Study of Long-Term Users: A Human Information Behaviours Perspective

ABSTRACT This paper describes the human information behaviours of long-time users of voice assistants or chatbot software that focuses on voice interaction to retrieve information, and which operate on technologies that use artificial intelligence to understand and act upon the information requests of the user through a conversational interface. The paper reports on a case study based on 10 interviews with adult participants who have used voice assistants in their homes for at least six months. Interviews were semi-structured and focused on connecting to the users’ and their family’s experiences of using voice assistants in their daily lives. Insights from our findings focus on two areas, how the humanness of voice assistants and their perceived personality affect information retrieval, and secondly, the difficulties in transitioning from text-based information seeking to speech-based interactions. This paper makes a case for expanding human information behaviour studies to include interactive conversational information retrieval devices such as voice assistants.

Creating information and records for development work: Working through the lens of information and records continuum models

Information studies characterize the beginning of information as creation, a point of origin. Adapting a continuum approach, this study focuses on the create dimension of the Information and Records Continuum models developed by Frank Upward and his colleagues (Upward, 2000). The context of this study is humanitarian aid and how the interactions of actors within the not-for-profit sector create information used to develop campaigns, design strategies for fundraising, and support beneficiaries, the recipients of aid. Semi-structured interviews and participatory observation were conducted in an international non-governmental organization working with vulnerable communities in Bangladesh. Applying the two continuum models provides insights into the development of aid workers' complex information ecosystem. Using the continuum models in analyzing the data for information and records creation suggest the potential use for these models to provide a theoretical framework in further information behavior studies.

Purposive and non-purposive information behaviour on Instagram

User information behaviour on Instagram was explored via 274 responses to an online survey. Instagram is recognised as a powerful visual platform and consistently reports high engagement statistics across its variety of users. Research on Instagram to date has focussed on marketing communications theory, in particular its production of influencers as a new type of celebrity and source. The authors undertook an exploratory study to examine user interaction with the platform from the perspective of information behaviour research. The survey sought data relating to the rich body of information behaviour theory, particularly in relation to the needs or motivations underpinning information seeking, preferred sources of information and criteria for their evaluation, trust of Instagram creators and purposive and non-purposive engagement with information. An evolutionary model of information behaviour on Instagram is proposed, which draws on previous studies of information behaviour. The credibility of information on Instagram was a key theme in the survey findings, with respondents varying in the degree to which they trusted information on the platform and adopting complex, time-consuming and sometimes conflicting strategies to fact check where they felt reliability was important; future research exploring this further is recommended, to help understand the role and motivations of the information seeker in this process. The research also reveals a heightened blurring in comprehension surrounding the concepts of information and opinion amongst users and academics.

Demographic Factors and Electronic Resources/Services Use: Evidence from Adeleke University

Information behaviour studies indicate that undergraduates tend to use e-resources/services (ERS) as information sources. This study examines the influence of demographic factors on ERS use among undergraduates of Adeleke University in Nigeria. A field survey methodology was used for the study and 352 undergraduates from six academic faculties served as the respondents. Data were collected by the use of a questionnaire. The findings revealed that undergraduates used varying levels of ten categories of ERS predominantly for academic purposes. The results indicated by non-parametric tests demonstrated that the frequency levels of ERS use for academic information by undergraduates had no significant difference with student’s status (finalist and non-finalist) and gender. But, a statistical difference existed between frequency levels of ERS use for academic information, and age group and academic faculty. The study concluded that disciplinary-oriented ERS must be provided for undergraduates to address faculty information needs for disciplinary research.

A comparison of information behavior studies in United States and India: Number of publications, authorship, journals, theories, research populations, and methods

This study compares attributes (authors, journals, populations, theories, methods) of information seeking behavior studies based in the United States and India, based on a search of published articles from 2011 to 2020 in relevant information science databases. The findings indicate major differences in information behavior research among the two countries. Information behavior research in the United States tends to focus more on health and medicine-related research populations, employ greater use of information behavior theories, and use a variety of quantitative and qualitative research methods (as well as mixed methods). Information behavior research in India tends to focus more on general populations, use less theory, and rely heavily on quantitative research methods—particularly questionnaires (88% of studies). These findings suggest a healthy and intellectually-diverse information behavior research area in the United States and ample room for growth of the research area within India.

Indicative findings from a study of information behaviour in digital business ideation: insights from the developing world

nt="Indicative findings from a study of information behaviour in digital business ideationr" /> <meta name="description" content="Though a wealth of information behaviour research has been undertaken in various contexts over the years, less has been done on entrepreneurship. In particular, there is a lack of literature around the ideation component in the early stages of business formation. This study seeks to address the theoretical and empirical gap within this research stream, bringing together information, innovation, and creativity theory, as lenses through which to explore the phenomenon. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with business founders. Participants operated in a variety of segments of the digital technology spectrum. Critical Realism and Grounded Theory were used as theoretical and practical data techniques, using abduction in the theoretical redescription of concepts (codes) identified in the empirical data, and retroduction to identify the necessary contextual conditions for a particular causal mechanism to take effect and result in the observed empirical trends. Indicative results show several societal and personal factors play a role in shaping the information behaviour of digital entrepreneurs. These factors include but are not limited to poverty, parenting, and unequal power between mentors and mentees. While this research project is ongoing, early findings emerge in previously unexplored aspects of information behaviour such as the importance of reading passion and early exposure to digital devices amongst digital entrepreneurs.