INFO 310 - April 1, 2004 - Theoretical Frameworks for Human Information Behavior Notes By: Prins, Egaas, Fortier Introduction to frameworks and paradigms? Frameworks > Traditional / Physical > Social/Psychological > User oriented > Problem oriented > Cognitive viewpoint > Sense-making > Social Constructionism All point to Human Information Behavior Frameworks should be thought of as layer upon layer upon layer. Information = Brick Person = Bucket Theory that a piece of information retained in one person could be the same information in another person, just as one can put a brick in one bucket, then transfer the brick to another bucket Frameworks and Paradigms > System or physical paradigm - Objective view of information - Users seen as a mechanic and passive - User behavior predicted according to general variables: age, income - Atomistic - focus on user's Interaction with system point of contact - focus on external behaviors, contact with system is indication of need and behavior - Individually regarded as chaotic - quantitative > Social/Psychological view > User oriented paradigm > Cognitive view > Sense-making > Social constructionism Objective Information > Information has constant meaning > a commodity or thing > can be transported > reflects an absolute correspondence with reality - It will convey the same meaning to all users Mechanistic Passive Users > Users are regarded as information systems Transituationality (made up word) Essentially that we can make generalizations about communities of users and we can say that they share certain characteristics Atomistic View of Experience > The focus is on user behavour at the point of intersection with the information system > The moment of contact or change Chaotic Individuality > Focus on individual information behavior will cause too much variation > Systems cannot accommodate individual interpretation > Individuality means chaos and prevents systematic research Sociological and psychological approaches > Sociological approach to information behavior 60's: - views the individual user of information systems as part of a complex of other systems all of which affect the personšs information behavior - factors outside the information system ought to be studied if we are to interpret information behavior accurately > the personšs social situation > the individualšs problems > the use to which the information will be put > Psychological approach - reinforces the sociological perspectives - takes account of the useršs internal state as it interacts with the external factors identified by the sociological approach User oriented paradigm > subjective information > constructivist active user > situationally > wholistic views of experience > internal cognitions > systematic individuality > qualitative research Subjective Information > Information does not transmit constant meaning > Information users interpret information and create sense or meaning in accordance with their unique model or image of the world - Very different from Brick/Bucket - Information is different in the hands of different individuals - The subjective interpretation is the most important quality of this Constructivist Active Users > The user constructs need out of situations and is actively involved in information transfer > The user undertakes activities that will induce sensemaking > The user is actively involved from the time the information problem arises to the point of problem resolution Situationality > An individualšs responsiveness to information is governed by a range of variables that are unique to the individual and to the information problem that the individual is engaging > Individuals operate from different centers at different times Wholistic View of Experience > A useršs behavior is studied in terms of those factors that lead to an encounter with an information system and the consequences of such an encounter > A broader view of information behavior from the time need arises to when it no longer exists Internal Cognitions > Acknowledges the premise that what is going on inside a personšs mind (the individualšs model of the world) will shape the way information is interpreted and used > Interested in what people think as well as what they do when they engage in information behavior - Also think about how they feel. What do people feel when they interact with the technology? Systematic Individuality > The complexity of individuality can be addressed in a way that is consistent with scientific investigation. - Rely on qualitative as opposed to quantitate. Problem Orientation > A change in perception - away from seeing information as only about something - towards seeing information as having an effect on something - concentrating on problems rather than questions Problem Dimensions > A focus on problems - continuum from questions to problems to sensemaking > Problems - the initial state - the goal state - the processes - mental physical or perceptual that move the user from initial state to goal state A problem orientation (Saracevc, 1988) > no such thing as information need in the abstract but rather circumstances that lead to information behavior > there is more to a question than the words expressing it > viewing the problem behind the question rather than the information need is central to the information retrieval interaction - more about the problem than the specific behavior > Need to understand the problem > Need to know the intent of the information behavior (goal state and intent to move to) > Need to find out the internal knowledge state - What do they understand about the problem that they understand > Public knowledge expectation - An expectation on what you think you will find The cognitive view on Tuesday... ***** ASSIGNMENTS ***** Should have completed the assigned parts of Chapter 3 by this date as well (see 033004 Notes) Expected to read all of Chapter 2 for next Tuesday. Look on website for additional article - Theories of personal innovativeness