Everyday Life Everyday Life Information Information

Behaviors of Behaviors of TweensTweens

Meyers, Fisher and Meyers, Fisher and MarcouxMarcoux

What is a Tween?What is a Tween?

Child between the ages of 9 and 13; also Child between the ages of 9 and 13; also sometimes referred to as:sometimes referred to as:

MillennialsMillennials Generation Y’sGeneration Y’s PreteensPreteens

Research Informed by:Research Informed by:

Dervin’s Sense-MakingDervin’s Sense-Making

Chatman’s Normative BehaviorChatman’s Normative Behavior

Fisher’s Information groundsFisher’s Information grounds

Sociologist notion of “Small World”Sociologist notion of “Small World” Everyday happenings occur with some degree Everyday happenings occur with some degree

of predictabilityof predictability Legitimized others share conceptual and Legitimized others share conceptual and

physical space and thus shape social norms physical space and thus shape social norms around information and others behavioraround information and others behavior

Research Questions Research Questions Used:Used:

RQ 1: What types of everyday information RQ 1: What types of everyday information do tweens perceive themselves as needing?do tweens perceive themselves as needing?

RQ 2: How do tweens seek everyday RQ 2: How do tweens seek everyday information?information?

RQ 3: What barriers do tweens encounter in RQ 3: What barriers do tweens encounter in seeking and using information?seeking and using information?

RQ 4: How do tweens Manage Their RQ 4: How do tweens Manage Their accumulated everyday information?accumulated everyday information?

Research Questions Research Questions ContinuedContinued

RQ 5: What criteria do tweens use in RQ 5: What criteria do tweens use in assessing and sharing information and assessing and sharing information and information sources?information sources?

RQ 6: What roles are played by different RQ 6: What roles are played by different social types regarding information flow?social types regarding information flow?

RQ 7: What are the roles of information RQ 7: What are the roles of information grounds in tweens’ lives?grounds in tweens’ lives?

Uses Harris and Dewdney’s Six Uses Harris and Dewdney’s Six General Principals of General Principals of Information Needs Information Needs

Arise from the help-seeker’s situationArise from the help-seeker’s situation

Decision to seek help (or not) affected by Decision to seek help (or not) affected by many factorsmany factors

People seek information that is most People seek information that is most accessibleaccessible

Information seekers expect emotional supportInformation seekers expect emotional support

People follow habitual patterns in seeking People follow habitual patterns in seeking informationinformation

Method:Method:

5 Hour “Play Date”5 Hour “Play Date”

Used social interactionUsed social interaction

Creative playCreative play

Multiple data collection methodsMultiple data collection methods

Procedural Elements of Procedural Elements of ResearchResearch

Child Protection: (parents provided a Child Protection: (parents provided a schedule and contact info)schedule and contact info)

Schedule design: (kids provides healthy Schedule design: (kids provides healthy snacks, breaks to socialize)snacks, breaks to socialize)

Data collection: 2 Focus Groups of 4 to 6 Data collection: 2 Focus Groups of 4 to 6 teensteens

WebQuest: (Tweens designed Web page for WebQuest: (Tweens designed Web page for other teens, one-on-one with a researcher)other teens, one-on-one with a researcher)

Incentives and Recognition: (tweens provided Incentives and Recognition: (tweens provided with gift bags and personalized certificates)with gift bags and personalized certificates)

Data Collection Data Collection ScenarioScenario

A new kid (focus group participant’s age) A new kid (focus group participant’s age) moves into the neighborhood. Tweens moves into the neighborhood. Tweens asked to describe what everyday life would asked to describe what everyday life would be like for the new tween and what types of be like for the new tween and what types of things he or she would need to know.things he or she would need to know.

Then tweens asked to discuss sources they Then tweens asked to discuss sources they would use to seek information: would use to seek information:

Focus Group 1Focus Group 1

Tweens indentified the information grounds Tweens indentified the information grounds (social settings) where people go for a (social settings) where people go for a particular purpose-activityparticular purpose-activity

Focus Group 2Focus Group 2

Expansion of the Grounds discussed in Expansion of the Grounds discussed in Focus Group 1:Focus Group 1:

Frequency of useFrequency of use Who else would be presentWho else would be present What one would talk aboutWhat one would talk about What one liked about itWhat one liked about it

Systematic Data Systematic Data AnalysisAnalysis

Consistent note-taking and use of multiple Consistent note-taking and use of multiple researchersresearchers

Using multiple, triangulated methodsUsing multiple, triangulated methods

Comparing emergent themes with findings Comparing emergent themes with findings from related studiesfrom related studies

Employing intercoder checksEmploying intercoder checks

Analyzing the data for incidents of observer Analyzing the data for incidents of observer effecteffect

Major Themes (or Major Themes (or First First Level CodesLevel Codes) Emerged ) Emerged

and…and… Were mapped onto the instruments’ Were mapped onto the instruments’

questionsquestions

Analyzed using iterative pattern-coding Analyzed using iterative pattern-coding techniques (Atlas Ti 5.0) resulting in techniques (Atlas Ti 5.0) resulting in thematic setsthematic sets

Particularly rich questions were further Particularly rich questions were further analysis using third-level coding schemesanalysis using third-level coding schemes

FindingsFindings

Were organized by the research questions Were organized by the research questions initially posed.initially posed.

Types of Everyday Information Types of Everyday Information Tweens Perceive Themselves Tweens Perceive Themselves

NeedingNeeding

Concrete, immediate or short-term goals and Concrete, immediate or short-term goals and activitiesactivities

Examples: school work, social events and Examples: school work, social events and relationships, sports and hobbies, consumer relationships, sports and hobbies, consumer information, fashion and popular culture, information, fashion and popular culture, neighborhood information, and “stuff” neighborhood information, and “stuff” (spontaneous, undirected information-sharing)(spontaneous, undirected information-sharing)

Need to share and receive private or secret Need to share and receive private or secret informationinformation

Tweens from urban population included: how to Tweens from urban population included: how to deal with bullies, dangerous strangers, drug and deal with bullies, dangerous strangers, drug and alcohol users, and unsafe placedalcohol users, and unsafe placed

Ways Tweens Seek Everyday Ways Tweens Seek Everyday InformationInformation

Interpersonal peer sources most salientInterpersonal peer sources most salient

Information-sharing enhanced by telephone, Information-sharing enhanced by telephone, instant messaging, and emailinstant messaging, and email

Internet used, but accessibility largely Internet used, but accessibility largely variedvaried

Print sources, TV and Radio, less popular Print sources, TV and Radio, less popular than electronic and interpersonal, however, than electronic and interpersonal, however, varied according to socio-economic statusvaried according to socio-economic status

Barriers Tweens Encounter in Barriers Tweens Encounter in Seeking and Using InformationSeeking and Using Information Concerns for safety: (Concerns for safety: (parental restrictions on media parental restrictions on media

access, fear of predators)access, fear of predators)

Reduced Mobility: Reduced Mobility: (reliance on parents for (reliance on parents for transportation)transportation)

Adult Authority: Adult Authority: (Control or enforcement of parents (Control or enforcement of parents upon behavior, organization, sharing practicesupon behavior, organization, sharing practices))

Oversight Monitoring: Oversight Monitoring: (trust gap in presence of (trust gap in presence of adult)adult)

Access to information technologiesAccess to information technologies

Social costs, perceptions: Social costs, perceptions: (embarrassment, loss of (embarrassment, loss of esteem)esteem)

How Tweens Manage Their How Tweens Manage Their Accumulated Everyday Accumulated Everyday

InformationInformation

BookmarkingBookmarking Unique Artifacts and Unique Artifacts and

Strategies (homemade Strategies (homemade calendars, planners, calendars, planners, writing on hands, writing on hands, mnemonic devices (ie. mnemonic devices (ie. Self-generated songsSelf-generated songs

Parental involvement Parental involvement (family calendars or (family calendars or parental reminders)parental reminders)

Only five participants Only five participants mentioned use of mentioned use of computerscomputers

Criteria Tweens use in Criteria Tweens use in Assessing and Sharing Assessing and Sharing

Information and SourcesInformation and Sources

Varying and often naïve criteriaVarying and often naïve criteria Notions of credibility and trustNotions of credibility and trust Social costs associated with information Social costs associated with information

sharing (ie. Embarrassment)sharing (ie. Embarrassment) Rely heavily on the judgment of peersRely heavily on the judgment of peers Rely less and less on parental judgmentRely less and less on parental judgment Measure information against their personal Measure information against their personal

experienceexperience Gender specific, depending on information Gender specific, depending on information

being soughtbeing sought

Roles Played by Different Roles Played by Different Social Types Regarding Social Types Regarding

Information FlowInformation Flow

Tweens displayed a vetting process relying Tweens displayed a vetting process relying on affective concerns, trust and duration of on affective concerns, trust and duration of relationshiprelationship

Personal information only shared with Personal information only shared with “strong ties”“strong ties”

Logistical information sought only from Logistical information sought only from “weak ties”“weak ties”

Parents and teachers seen as distinctly Parents and teachers seen as distinctly different from adults in generaldifferent from adults in general

Roles Played by Different Roles Played by Different Social Types Regarding Social Types Regarding

Information Flow ContinuedInformation Flow Continued:: Two types of answers:Two types of answers:

Kid answers: Can be Kid answers: Can be understood by young understood by young peoplepeople

Adult Answers: Adult Answers: perceived by tweens as perceived by tweens as inappropriate and inappropriate and punitivepunitive

Peer Group Status: Peer Group Status: Good Friends (very Good Friends (very trusted), Friends (less trusted), Friends (less trusted)trusted)

Roles of Information Roles of Information GroundsGrounds

““An information ground An information ground is a synergistic is a synergistic environment environment temporarily created temporarily created when people come when people come together for a singular together for a singular purpose but from whose purpose but from whose behavior emerges a behavior emerges a social atmosphere that social atmosphere that fosters the spontaneous fosters the spontaneous and serendipitous and serendipitous sharing of information.” sharing of information.” (54. p. 811)”(54. p. 811)”

Most Common Information Most Common Information GroundsGrounds

CafeteriaCafeteria HallwayHallway PlaygroundPlayground BusBus Shopping MallShopping Mall Athletic FieldsAthletic Fields Community ParksCommunity Parks HomeHome NeighborhoodNeighborhood

Concluding Tween Concluding Tween PrinciplesPrinciples

Information seeking is a Information seeking is a natural and necessary natural and necessary part of tweens’ physical part of tweens’ physical social and intellectual social and intellectual growthgrowth

All aspects of information All aspects of information behavior have social and behavior have social and affective nuancesaffective nuances

Information literacy is Information literacy is developed and hones in developed and hones in informal settings as well informal settings as well as in tandem to with as in tandem to with formal scholastic venuesformal scholastic venues

Trust, as a blend of Trust, as a blend of cognitive authority and cognitive authority and multivariate cost, is a multivariate cost, is a critical determinate of critical determinate of information literacyinformation literacy

Informational social Informational social setting provide key setting provide key opportunities for opportunities for information exchange, information exchange, particularly about particularly about everyday-life situationseveryday-life situations