Wilsons Model

Wilson's general model of information behavior identifies how information needs arise from basic psychological, cognitive, or affective needs. It also describes barriers that may impede searching for information to satisfy those needs. These needs and barriers are influenced by personal and environmental contexts. The model suggests testable hypotheses about how information needs and seeking behavior vary based on work roles or personal traits. However, it only implicitly defines these relationships and processes. The document discusses how Wilson's model can be applied to analyze the information behavior of university students, identifying the different modes of information seeking from passive attention to ongoing search.

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Wilsons Model

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ANN NEKESA

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LAIKIPIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL; HUMANITIES AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

DEPARTMENT;LITERARY AND COMMUNICATION STUDIES
COURSE CODE;COMM 401
COURSE TITLE;COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION IN SOCIETY

Presented to;Mr Eric

Presented by;Wilmack chepkosgei
M18/2/0716/015
Explain the manner in which the elements in Wilson’s general
model of information behavior can be identified in information
behavior of students .

Introduction
A model may be described as a framework for thinking about a problem
and may evolve into a statement of the relationships among theoretical
prepositions. Most models in the general field of information behavior are of the
former variety ;they are statements , often in the form of diagrams , that attempt
to describe an information seeking activity , the causes and consequences of that
activity, or the relationship among stages in information seeking behavior .Rarely
do such models advance to the stage of specifying relationships among
theoretical prepositions :rather, they are a pre-theoretical stage , but may
suggest relationships that might be fruitful to explore
This model is based upon two prepositions ;
1.That information need is not primary need, but a secondary need that
arises out of the needs of a more basic kind .
2.That in the effort to discover information to satisfy the need ,the inquirer
is likely to meet with the barriers of different kinds.
Wilson proposes that the basic needs can be defined as psychological ,
cognitive or effective.He goes on to note that the context of any of these needs
may be the person him or herself ,or the role demands of the persons work or life
or the environments (political, economic or technological ) within which that life
or work takes place .He then suggest that the barriers that impede the search for
information will arise out of the same set of context .
Wilson’s model is clearly what may be described as a macro model or a
model of a gros information seeking behavior and suggest how information needs
arise and what may prevent (and,by implementation,aid) the actual search for
information.it also embodies , implicity, a set of hypotheses about information
behavior that are testable ; for example the preposition that information needs in
different work roles will be different, or that personal trait may inhibit or assist
information seeking Thus , the model can be regarded as a source of hypotheses ,
which is a general function of a model.
The weakness of the model is that all of the hypotheses are only implicit
and are not explicit .nor is there any direction of the processes whereby context
has its effect upon the person, nor of the factors that result in the perception of
barriers , nor of whether the various assumed barriers have similar or different
effects upon the motivation of individuals to seek information .However, the very
fact that the model is lacking in certain elements stimulates thinking about the
kinds of elements that a more complete model ought to include.

Information seeking process

Wilson’s says that not all information needs make a person seek
information Wilson’s says not all information needs make a person seek
information eg an individual does not engage in seeking activities if he or she is
convinced that the possessed knowledge is sufficient to understand the
situation and make a decision .If a person lacks the conviction , the stress
connected with the danger of making the mistake is likely to occur .The bigger
the stress, the bigger the motivation to look for information ,up-to a certain point
where the stress paralyzes such activities. He also notes that wanting a reward
can induce this feeling of necessity even if the reward means only the comfort
from eliminating the feeling from uncertainity and among the modes from
obtaining information .Wilson’s differentiate information seeking behavior into
I. Passive attention
II. Passive search
III. Active search
IV. Ongoing search
Travel behavior of university students .