Pusan National University researchers develop novel framework to examine information-seeking behaviors

The rapid growth of digital media and information technologies has expanded our capability to acquire the information we need. However, these capabilities do not necessarily result in actual information-seeking behaviors. While some people may seek a lot of information about specific issues, others may be oblivious to it. Therefore, what makes people seek information about a problem and share it with others is a fundamental question.

To understand the mechanisms of information-seeking behaviors, Prof. Hyo Jung Kim and Prof. Sungwook Hwang of Pusan National University, Korea, combined two existing theoretical frameworks, namely, Situational Theory of Problem Solving (STOPS) and Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP), to develop the all-new Information Behaviors on Social Issues (IBSI) model. "By providing theoretical insights into the processes underlying individuals' information behaviors, the findings will offer practical implications to promote the public's information-seeking behaviour and their involvement in major political and policy issues," comments Prof. Kim, one of the authors of this study. The findings were published in the International Journal of Communication (published online on 30 June, 2022).

The researchers tested their new framework in the context of information behaviors regarding South-North Korean relations. To do this, they conducted a survey on 1,014 adults in South Korea between the ages of 19 and 64 years. Their findings suggest that an individual's information-seeking behaviors are primarily a function of cognitive, affective, and social factors.

Regarding cognitive factors, it was seen that people are more likely to seek information about an issue when they perceive the problem (problem recognition) and establish a link between themselves and the problem (involvement recognition). Additionally, people are more likely to seek information when they believe that only a few obstacles prevent them from doing something about the problem (constraint recognition). 

In terms of the affective factors involved in information behaviors, it was seen that the more people feel negatively about inter-Korean relations, the more they believe that they have sufficient information about the issue (information sufficiency). 

Lastly, it was observed that people are more likely to assume that they lack sufficient information if they perceive that others close to them expect their deep understanding about it (informational subjective norms). Prof. Hwang, the corresponding author of this study, further explains, “The strong role of subjective norms found in this study may be due to the collectivistic tendency in Korean culture, as well as the nature of the issue, to put all residents of the Korean peninsula in the same boat."

Another interesting observation was that information insufficiency indirectly influenced information-seeking intention through situational motivation. Prof Kim, further explains the finding, saying that "This result suggests that information insufficiency perception would not necessarily lead one directly to seek information about a given social issue. Rather, this information insufficiency perception would first motivate individuals to make problem-solving efforts about the issue (i.e., situational motivation), leading them to seek further information."

In summary, the study demonstrates the IBSI framework's utility in elucidating individual information-seeking behaviour in North-South Korea relations. The study's findings can help public affairs and government public relations specialists foster information behaviors around significant political and policy problems.

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Reference

Source: https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/17696 

Authors: Hyo Jung Kim and Sungwook Hwang

Affiliations: Pusan National University, South Korea

About Pusan National University
Pusan National University, located in Busan, South Korea, was founded in 1946, and is now the no. 1 national university of South Korea in research and educational competency. The multi-campus university also has other smaller campuses in Yangsan, Miryang, and Ami. The university prides itself on the principles of truth, freedom, and service, and has approximately 30,000 students, 1200 professors, and 750 faculty members. The university is composed of 14 colleges (schools) and one independent division, with 103 departments in all.    
Website: https://www.pusan.ac.kr/eng/Main.do

About the authors

Dr. Hyo Jung Kim is an Associate Professor at Department of Media & Communication, Pusan National University. Her research interests include communicating science, health, risk, technology, and other topics related to the communication of current information to, among, and from the public. She previously worked at Kepco International Nuclear Graduate School and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
ORCID IDs: 0000-0002-3014-2638

Dr. Sungwook Hwang is a Professor at Department of Media & Communication, Pusan National University. His research interests include organizational conflict management, persuasive communication, social media’s role in public relations, and political communication. He worked at Cheil Worldwide and Myongji University in Seoul, Korea prior to his current position.
ORCID IDs:0000-0002-7251-8701