Social Roles as Context in Social Roles as Context in

Information BehaviorInformation Behavior

February 29, 2012February 29, 2012U. Of North CarolinaU. Of North Carolina

Donald O. CaseDonald O. Case University of Kentucky University of Kentucky

College of Communications & College of Communications & Information StudiesInformation Studies

Overview of My TalkOverview of My Talk

• • Definitions: Information Behavior & ContextDefinitions: Information Behavior & Context

• • Facets, or Indicators, of ContextFacets, or Indicators, of Context

• • Patterns of Health Information SeekingPatterns of Health Information Seeking

• • Theories and Models that Explain TheseTheories and Models that Explain These

• • Fields & Pathways of Information SeekingFields & Pathways of Information Seeking

Information BehaviorInformation Behavior

• • This Genre First Adopted the Title of “Needs This Genre First Adopted the Title of “Needs

and Uses,” Reflecting a Library Orientationand Uses,” Reflecting a Library Orientation

• • Later it Was Called “Information Seeking”Later it Was Called “Information Seeking”

• • Recently “Information Behavior” or Recently “Information Behavior” or

“Information Practices”“Information Practices”

Importance of ContextImportance of Context

Atwood & Dervin Atwood & Dervin (1982) (1982) & &

Dervin et al (1984) Find Dervin et al (1984) Find

Problem Situations are Better Problem Situations are Better

Predictors of Seeking than any Predictors of Seeking than any

Demographic Factors.Demographic Factors.

Context: DefinitionsContext: Definitions

• “• “virtually anything that is not defined virtually anything that is not defined

as the phenomena of interest” as the phenomena of interest”

(Dervin, 1997)(Dervin, 1997)

Context: DefinitionsContext: Definitions

• “• “virtually anything that is not defined as virtually anything that is not defined as

the phenomena of interest” (Dervin, 1973)the phenomena of interest” (Dervin, 1973)

• “• “socioeconomic conditions, work roles, socioeconomic conditions, work roles,

tasks, problem situations . . .” (Talja et al.)tasks, problem situations . . .” (Talja et al.)

Context: DefinitionsContext: Definitions

• “• “virtually anything that is not defined as the virtually anything that is not defined as the

phenomena of interest” (Dervin, 1973)phenomena of interest” (Dervin, 1973)

• “• “socioeconomic conditions, work roles, tasks, socioeconomic conditions, work roles, tasks,

problem situations . . .” (Talja et al.)problem situations . . .” (Talja et al.)

• • Also the Mix of Sources to Which we AttendAlso the Mix of Sources to Which we Attend

Context: DefinitionsContext: Definitions

• “• “virtually anything that is not defined as virtually anything that is not defined as

the phenomena of interest” (Dervin, 1973)the phenomena of interest” (Dervin, 1973)

• “• “socioeconomic conditions, work roles, socioeconomic conditions, work roles,

tasks, problem situations . . .” (Talja et al.)tasks, problem situations . . .” (Talja et al.)

• • Also the Mix of Sources to Which we AttendAlso the Mix of Sources to Which we Attend

• • In my book: Demographics, Jobs, Roles In my book: Demographics, Jobs, Roles

Occupations (Unexamined)Occupations (Unexamined)

• • Scientists, Engineers, ManagersScientists, Engineers, Managers

• • Social Scientists, Humanists, other FacultySocial Scientists, Humanists, other Faculty

• • Doctors, Nurses, other Health ProfessionalsDoctors, Nurses, other Health Professionals

• • Journalists, Lawyers, Judges, Clergy, CopsJournalists, Lawyers, Judges, Clergy, Cops

• • Artists, Actors, Farmers, etc.Artists, Actors, Farmers, etc.

Demographics (Unexamined)Demographics (Unexamined)

• • AgeAge or Age Group, e.g., “Elderly,” “Children” or Age Group, e.g., “Elderly,” “Children”

• • RaceRace, Ethnicity or Language (Ethnolinguistic), Ethnicity or Language (Ethnolinguistic)

• • SocioeconomicsSocioeconomics, e.g., “Poor,” “Homeless”, e.g., “Poor,” “Homeless”

• • EducationEducation: Implied in the Latter, & also in : Implied in the Latter, & also in

Roles Like “Patient” or Jobs like “Scientist”Roles Like “Patient” or Jobs like “Scientist”

Focus on Roles: Some Focus on Roles: Some ExamplesExamples

• • Citizen, Voter, Member of the PublicCitizen, Voter, Member of the Public

• • Consumer, Buyer, ShopperConsumer, Buyer, Shopper

• • Hobbyist, Club Member, Sports FanHobbyist, Club Member, Sports Fan

• • Gatekeeper (Often in Context of Job)Gatekeeper (Often in Context of Job)

• • Student (Studies too Numerous to Count)Student (Studies too Numerous to Count)

• • Medical Medical PatientPatient, or Family/Friend of , or Family/Friend of

PatientPatient

Patient-Related Studies Patient-Related Studies Increasing:Increasing:

• • Patient Empowerment (1960s +)Patient Empowerment (1960s +)

• • Growing Health ProblemsGrowing Health Problems

• • Increasing Cost of TreatmentIncreasing Cost of Treatment

• • Dissatisfaction with Health CareDissatisfaction with Health Care

• • Fast-Growing/Changing LiteratureFast-Growing/Changing Literature

• • Disintermediation of AdviceDisintermediation of Advice

Health Info.-Seeking PatternsHealth Info.-Seeking Patterns

• • Accessibility and Habit are Key FactorsAccessibility and Habit are Key Factors

• • Preference for Personal Sources, e.g., Preference for Personal Sources, e.g.,

Friends, Family, “Patients Like Me.”Friends, Family, “Patients Like Me.”

• • 59% of Adults Use Web for Health Info.59% of Adults Use Web for Health Info.

• • It is the 3It is the 3rdrd Most Popular Web Topic Most Popular Web Topic

Demographics are Weak Demographics are Weak PredictorsPredictors

• • Women Better Seekers than MenWomen Better Seekers than Men

• • Elderly Less Demanding of DoctorsElderly Less Demanding of Doctors

• • Some Groups more Fatalistic, ReligiousSome Groups more Fatalistic, Religious

• • Poor Know Less, Have Less AccessPoor Know Less, Have Less Access

• • Education Controls for Most of TheseEducation Controls for Most of These

Many Suboptimal BehaviorsMany Suboptimal Behaviors

• • Effect of Cognitive Limits, e.g., MemoryEffect of Cognitive Limits, e.g., Memory

• • The Paradox of ProximityThe Paradox of Proximity

• • Avoidance of Threatening InformationAvoidance of Threatening Information

• • Wishful or Magical ThinkingWishful or Magical Thinking

• • Persistent Ignorance about HealthPersistent Ignorance about Health

Patterns: Cognitive LimitsPatterns: Cognitive Limits

We don’t Process All We Hear or We don’t Process All We Hear or

Recall it. Anxiety & Jargon Make this Recall it. Anxiety & Jargon Make this

Worse. Patients May Forget 50% of Worse. Patients May Forget 50% of

What They are Told. Many Forget to What They are Told. Many Forget to

Ask the Questions They Had Earlier.Ask the Questions They Had Earlier.

Patterns: Paradox of Patterns: Paradox of ProximityProximity

Some Individuals “Freeze” When Some Individuals “Freeze” When

Faced with Illness. Information Faced with Illness. Information

Seeking about Treatment May be by Seeking about Treatment May be by

Family or Friends.Family or Friends.

Zhang et al (2003): 40% of Patients & Zhang et al (2003): 40% of Patients &

30% of Spouses Don’t Discuss Cancer.30% of Spouses Don’t Discuss Cancer.

Patterns: Avoidance, BluntingPatterns: Avoidance, Blunting

• • While Waiting for Diagnosis, 70% While Waiting for Diagnosis, 70%

of Women with Breast Lumps of Women with Breast Lumps

Reported Anxiety/Worry, 60% FearReported Anxiety/Worry, 60% Fear

• • 45% Distracted Themselves45% Distracted Themselves

• • 39% Sought NO Information39% Sought NO Information

Patterns: Avoidance, BluntingPatterns: Avoidance, Blunting

• • Pifalo Pifalo et al.et al. (1997): Anxiety Decreased (1997): Anxiety Decreased

for Most Consumer Health Library for Most Consumer Health Library

Visitors, Yet Increased for 10% Visitors, Yet Increased for 10%

• • Degner & Sloan (1992): Few Patients Degner & Sloan (1992): Few Patients

Wanted Radiation Information, Unless Wanted Radiation Information, Unless

They Had the Treatment PreviouslyThey Had the Treatment Previously

Explaining Patterns: Some Explaining Patterns: Some TheoriesTheories

• • Stress & Coping TheoryStress & Coping Theory

• • Uncertainty Management, etc.Uncertainty Management, etc.

• • Uses & Gratifications/Value Uses & Gratifications/Value

ExpectancyExpectancy

• • Other Theory: Reasoned Action, Planned Other Theory: Reasoned Action, Planned

Behavior, Social Cognitive (self-efficacy), Behavior, Social Cognitive (self-efficacy),

Health Belief Model Health Belief Model

Stress/Coping Theory (Lazarus Stress/Coping Theory (Lazarus

et al.)et al.)

• • Transaction With Environment: Transaction With Environment:

PromptsPrompts

• • Cognitions & Emotions, Possibly Cognitions & Emotions, Possibly

StressStress

• • Appraisal of Stress Leads to Appraisal of Stress Leads to

Coping:Coping:

• • With the Problem, and/orWith the Problem, and/or

• • With our Emotions about the With our Emotions about the

ProblemProblem

Uncertainty Management Uncertainty Management Theory,Theory,

Problematic Integration Problematic Integration TheoryTheory

One of a Few Theories (e.g. by One of a Few Theories (e.g. by

Brashers,Brashers,

Babrow, Afifi) Assuming that PeopleBabrow, Afifi) Assuming that People

Sometimes Increase Uncertainty forSometimes Increase Uncertainty for

Strategic Reasons, including Strategic Reasons, including

Coping, orCoping, or

Managing Relationships with Managing Relationships with

Others.Others.

Examples: Deliberate Examples: Deliberate UncertaintyUncertainty

Consider a Physician Delivering Consider a Physician Delivering

Bad News to a Patient. The MD Bad News to a Patient. The MD

May Soften the Possible May Soften the Possible

Downsides, while the Patient May Downsides, while the Patient May

Seek Contradictory InformationSeek Contradictory Information

Uses & Gratifications (Katz, Uses & Gratifications (Katz, 1974)1974)

• • Needs Generate Expectations re: SourcesNeeds Generate Expectations re: Sources

• • We Use Channels & Sources AccordinglyWe Use Channels & Sources Accordingly

• • Uses Result in Gratification of Needs, andUses Result in Gratification of Needs, and

• • Other Consequences, Not All IntendedOther Consequences, Not All Intended

• • We Actively Choose, Ignore & Avoid Info.We Actively Choose, Ignore & Avoid Info.

Some Relevant ModelsSome Relevant Models• • Wilson’s Info. Behavior ModelWilson’s Info. Behavior Model

• • Wiering’s Model of UncertaintyWiering’s Model of Uncertainty

• • Longo’s Expanded Conceptual Longo’s Expanded Conceptual

ModelModel

• • Risk Models: HBM, RISP, PRISM, Risk Models: HBM, RISP, PRISM,

etc.etc.

• • Johnson’s Comprehensive Model Johnson’s Comprehensive Model

of I.S.of I.S.

WilsonWilson’’s Models Model

Wiering’s Model of Wiering’s Model of UncertaintyUncertainty

Johnson (1997) CMIS ModelJohnson (1997) CMIS Model

Information Fields vs. Information Fields vs. PathwaysPathways

• • Spatial Metaphor: Horizon, Ground, Spatial Metaphor: Horizon, Ground,

World World

Information Fields vs. Information Fields vs. PathwaysPathways

• • Spatial Metaphor: Horizon, Ground, Spatial Metaphor: Horizon, Ground,

World World

• • Field: Carriers One is Normally Field: Carriers One is Normally

Exposed to, & Sources One Normally Exposed to, & Sources One Normally

Consults = ContextConsults = Context

Information Fields vs. Information Fields vs. PathwaysPathways

• • Spatial Metaphor: Horizon, Ground, World Spatial Metaphor: Horizon, Ground, World

• • Field: Carriers One is Normally Exposed to, & Field: Carriers One is Normally Exposed to, &

Sources One Normally Consults = ContextSources One Normally Consults = Context

• • Pathway: Addressing a Need by Consulting a Pathway: Addressing a Need by Consulting a

Series of Sources, Until Satisfied or StoppingSeries of Sources, Until Satisfied or Stopping

Pathways for Genetics Pathways for Genetics AdviceAdvice

Summary and ImplicationsSummary and Implications

• • Studies of Patients & Health are Studies of Patients & Health are

IncreasingIncreasing

Summary and ImplicationsSummary and Implications

• • Studies of Patients & Health are Studies of Patients & Health are

IncreasingIncreasing

• • Prime Opportunity for R&D to Help Prime Opportunity for R&D to Help

PeoplePeople

Summary and ImplicationsSummary and Implications

• • Studies of Patients & Health are Studies of Patients & Health are

IncreasingIncreasing

• • Prime Opportunity for R&D to Help Prime Opportunity for R&D to Help

PeoplePeople

• • Wide Variety of Relevant Theories, Wide Variety of Relevant Theories,

ModelsModels

Summary and ImplicationsSummary and Implications

• • Studies of Patients & Health are IncreasingStudies of Patients & Health are Increasing

• • Prime Opportunity for R&D to Help PeoplePrime Opportunity for R&D to Help People

• • Wide Variety of Relevant Theories, ModelsWide Variety of Relevant Theories, Models

• • Social Media will be Influential (Self-Help)Social Media will be Influential (Self-Help)

Comments? Questions?Comments? Questions?

Thanks for Your Attention.Thanks for Your Attention.