Diffusion of Information and Knowledge: How Information Becomes Meaningful - Evolving Global Information Infrastructure and Information Transfer - page 97

ences, and cognitive styles. Information psychology helps us to understand the
unique aspects of diagnosing the information needs of individuals.
An Overview of Information Psychology
The model for information user behaviors is found in the framework of informa-
tion psychology, as noted above. The information professional may be called upon
to diagnose information need at any of the following points in the behaviors of ac-
quiring information: awareness of need, action decision, strategies for search, be-
haviors in search, evaluation, assimilation, memory, and utilization. Following is a
brief description of these actions:
Awareness of Need
A client determines a need for information. The need may be for informational,
educational, recreational, decision-making, or research purposes. The first stage
in the information use behavioral process is becoming aware of a need for inform-
ation.
For example, a child is given a dog by her parents, with the condition that the
dog must be well-mannered and must stay off the chairs and sofa. Shortly after the
dog arrives at his new home, he jumps onto the sofa in the living room. Seeing this
violation of the “furniture rule,” the young girl sees that she must train the dog. She
has a need for information and becomes aware of that need.
Action Decision
After becoming aware of a need, a client may elect to act by seeking to satisfy
that need. In our example, the girl realizes that she must change the dog's beha-
vior, or the dog will continue to violate the rule that he must stay off the sofa. She
decides to seek information on dog training.
Strategies for Search
Once a decision is made to search for information, clients will employ their
unique strategies for locating information. A plan of action is formulated, usually
very informally.
Jane, the girl in our example, begins her search for information. She first con-
sults the encyclopedia set in the home, but she finds little information about dog
training. As she contemplates her choices, she thinks about other sources of in-
formation: (1) she could ask her parents for help; (2) she could call her friend
Stephanie, who has had a dog for more than a year; (3) she could go to the library
to find a topic on dog training; (4) she could go to her home computer and con-