Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
Potpourri
: Perception is a funny thing.
We can have some stimulus in our environment for quite some time and never
attend to it.
Then, due to some seemingly random occurrence or event, that stimulus sud-
denly has meaning, and we begin perceiving this external information. Typically,
we are amazed that all this information on the topic we are interested in is sud-
denly available.
In fact, it has always been there; we are just attending to it now.
There is a related phenomenon concerning attending to information and seeing
patterns in this information. The phenomenon goes something like this: We develop
an interest in some topic or subject and begin to really focus on it. Suddenly, we
begin to see occurrences of information related to this topic. Perhaps, the related
information has always been there, only now it is relevant to us.
Information-foraging theory
Signaling theory is a little broad for our purposes. However, the concept of signaling
theory that we see appears in something more closely related to information search-
ing, namely
information-foraging theory
[
11
], which is the implementation of sig-
naling theory for sponsored search (and Web browsing), especially in the concept of
information scent.
Potpourri
: What is with all the theories?
Do not get confused with all the theories! Sponsored search is a complex area
involving a multitude of human, economic, social, cognitive, and technological
factors.
Unfortunately, there is limited communication among disciplines in
academia.
Therefore, we see overlapping concepts and theories from different disciplines,
with multiple names for essentially the same concept.
We also see some foundational constructs (e.g., the principle of least effort, per-
ception), foundational theories (e.g., signaling theory), and applied theories (e.g.,
information foraging theory) repeated across disciplines with different names.
Information-foraging theory assumes that people use foraging-like mechanisms
when searching for information. The theory seeks to describe and understand how
humans search for information online. Information-foraging theory is based on the
assumption that humans use “built-in” foraging mechanisms when searching for
information. The assumption is that these foraging mechanisms evolved to help our
animal ancestors find food. So, the theory goes, we humans use a similar process
when looking for information.
Information-foraging theory [
11
] has been developed as a way of explaining
human information-seeking and sense-making behavior. During the search process,
the searcher, as an informivore (probably carrying the analogy too far!), is continually
