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Social Roles as Context in Information Behavior

This talk provides an overview of information behavior in the context of social roles, with a focus on patterns of health information seeking. The importance of context in understanding information behavior is discussed, along with relevant theories and models.

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Social Roles as Context in Information Behavior

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  1. Social Roles as Context in Information Behavior February 29, 2012 U. Of North Carolina Donald O. Case University of Kentucky College of Communications & Information Studies

  2. Overview of My Talk • Definitions: Information Behavior & Context • Facets, or Indicators, of Context • Patterns of Health Information Seeking • Theories and Models that Explain These • Fields & Pathways of Information Seeking

  3. Information Behavior • This Genre First Adopted the Title of “Needs and Uses,” Reflecting a Library Orientation • Later it Was Called “Information Seeking” • Recently “Information Behavior” or “Information Practices”

  4. Importance of Context Atwood & Dervin (1982) & Dervin et al (1984) Find Problem Situations are Better Predictors of Seeking than any Demographic Factors.

  5. Context: Definitions • “virtually anything that is not defined as the phenomena of interest” (Dervin, 1997)

  6. Context: Definitions • “virtually anything that is not defined as the phenomena of interest” (Dervin, 1973) • “socioeconomic conditions, work roles, tasks, problem situations . . .” (Talja et al.)

  7. Context: Definitions • “virtually anything that is not defined as the phenomena of interest” (Dervin, 1973) • “socioeconomic conditions, work roles, tasks, problem situations . . .” (Talja et al.) • Also the Mix of Sources to Which we Attend

  8. Context: Definitions • “virtually anything that is not defined as the phenomena of interest” (Dervin, 1973) • “socioeconomic conditions, work roles, tasks, problem situations . . .” (Talja et al.) • Also the Mix of Sources to Which we Attend • In my book: Demographics, Jobs, Roles

  9. Occupations (Unexamined) • Scientists, Engineers, Managers • Social Scientists, Humanists, other Faculty • Doctors, Nurses, other Health Professionals • Journalists, Lawyers, Judges, Clergy, Cops • Artists, Actors, Farmers, etc.

  10. Demographics (Unexamined) • Age or Age Group, e.g., “Elderly,”“Children” • Race, Ethnicity or Language (Ethnolinguistic) • Socioeconomics, e.g., “Poor,”“Homeless” • Education: Implied in the Latter, & also in Roles Like “Patient” or Jobs like “Scientist”

  11. Focus on Roles: Some Examples • Citizen, Voter, Member of the Public • Consumer, Buyer, Shopper • Hobbyist, Club Member, Sports Fan • Gatekeeper (Often in Context of Job) • Student (Studies too Numerous to Count) • Medical Patient, or Family/Friend of Patient

  12. Patient-Related Studies Increasing: • Patient Empowerment (1960s +) • Growing Health Problems • Increasing Cost of Treatment • Dissatisfaction with Health Care • Fast-Growing/Changing Literature • Disintermediation of Advice

  13. Health Info.-Seeking Patterns • Accessibility and Habit are Key Factors • Preference for Personal Sources, e.g., Friends, Family, “Patients Like Me.” • 59% of Adults Use Web for Health Info. • It is the 3rd Most Popular Web Topic

  14. Demographics are Weak Predictors • Women Better Seekers than Men • Elderly Less Demanding of Doctors • Some Groups more Fatalistic, Religious • Poor Know Less, Have Less Access • Education Controls for Most of These

  15. Many Suboptimal Behaviors • Effect of Cognitive Limits, e.g., Memory • The Paradox of Proximity • Avoidance of Threatening Information • Wishful or Magical Thinking • Persistent Ignorance about Health

  16. Patterns: Cognitive Limits We don’t Process All We Hear or Recall it. Anxiety & Jargon Make this Worse. Patients May Forget 50% of What They are Told. Many Forget to Ask the Questions They Had Earlier.

  17. Patterns: Paradox of Proximity Some Individuals “Freeze” When Faced with Illness. Information Seeking about Treatment May be by Family or Friends. Zhang et al (2003): 40% of Patients & 30% of Spouses Don’t Discuss Cancer.

  18. Patterns: Avoidance, Blunting • While Waiting for Diagnosis, 70% of Women with Breast Lumps Reported Anxiety/Worry, 60% Fear • 45% Distracted Themselves • 39% Sought NO Information

  19. Patterns: Avoidance, Blunting • Pifalo et al. (1997): Anxiety Decreased for Most Consumer Health Library Visitors, Yet Increased for 10% • Degner & Sloan (1992): Few Patients Wanted Radiation Information, Unless They Had the Treatment Previously

  20. Explaining Patterns: Some Theories • Stress & Coping Theory • Uncertainty Management, etc. • Uses & Gratifications/Value Expectancy • Other Theory: Reasoned Action, Planned Behavior, Social Cognitive (self-efficacy), Health Belief Model

  21. Stress/Coping Theory (Lazarus et al.) • Transaction With Environment: Prompts • Cognitions & Emotions, Possibly Stress • Appraisal of Stress Leads to Coping: • With the Problem, and/or • With our Emotions about the Problem

  22. Uncertainty Management Theory,Problematic Integration Theory One of a Few Theories (e.g. by Brashers, Babrow, Afifi) Assuming that People Sometimes Increase Uncertainty for Strategic Reasons, including Coping, or Managing Relationships with Others.

  23. Examples: Deliberate Uncertainty Consider a Physician Delivering Bad News to a Patient. The MD May Soften the Possible Downsides, while the Patient May Seek Contradictory Information

  24. Uses & Gratifications (Katz, 1974) • Needs Generate Expectations re: Sources • We Use Channels & Sources Accordingly • Uses Result in Gratification of Needs, and • Other Consequences, Not All Intended • We Actively Choose, Ignore & Avoid Info.

  25. Some Relevant Models • Wilson’s Info. Behavior Model • Wiering’s Model of Uncertainty • Longo’s Expanded Conceptual Model • Risk Models: HBM, RISP, PRISM, etc. • Johnson’s Comprehensive Model of I.S.

  26. Wilson’s Model

  27. Wiering’s Model of Uncertainty

  28. Johnson (1997) CMIS Model

  29. Information Fields vs. Pathways • Spatial Metaphor: Horizon, Ground, World

  30. Information Fields vs. Pathways • Spatial Metaphor: Horizon, Ground, World • Field: Carriers One is Normally Exposed to, & Sources One Normally Consults = Context

  31. Information Fields vs. Pathways • Spatial Metaphor: Horizon, Ground, World • Field: Carriers One is Normally Exposed to, & Sources One Normally Consults = Context • Pathway: Addressing a Need by Consulting a Series of Sources, Until Satisfied or Stopping

  32. Pathways for Genetics Advice

  33. Summary and Implications • Studies of Patients & Health are Increasing

  34. Summary and Implications • Studies of Patients & Health are Increasing • Prime Opportunity for R&D to Help People

  35. Summary and Implications • Studies of Patients & Health are Increasing • Prime Opportunity for R&D to Help People • Wide Variety of Relevant Theories, Models

  36. Summary and Implications • Studies of Patients & Health are Increasing • Prime Opportunity for R&D to Help People • Wide Variety of Relevant Theories, Models • Social Media will be Influential (Self-Help)

  37. Comments? Questions? Thanks for Your Attention.

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