The document discusses Wilson's 1981 model of information behavior. [1] It proposes expanding the concept of information seeking to include other modes of behavior such as avoiding information. [2] Wilson defined information behavior as encompassing information seeking as well as unintentional, passive, and purposeful behaviors not involving seeking. [3] The model suggests that information seeking behavior arises from a need perceived by the user and may involve formal or informal sources to satisfy that need.

1. Jyoti . s. singh
M.li.Sc
2012-2013
Wilson’s information behavior 1981
INTROUDUCTION: The aim of this assignment is to propose new model of
information behaviour that extend the concept beyond simply information seeking to
consider other modes of behaviour .
Theories of Information-Seeking Behavior
What are seeking behaviors?
“….a conscious efforts to acquire information in response of a needs or gap in your
knowledge,”
What is Information behavior?
“….encompasses information seeking as well as the totality of other unintentional
or passive behavior ,as well as purposive behavior that do not involve seeking ,
such as avoiding information .”
• activities a person may engage in when identifying his or her own needs for
information
• searching for such information in any way
• and using or transferring that information (T.D. Wilson 1999)
What is information seeking behavior?
Information seeking behavior refers to the way people search for and utilize
information. Information behaviour as the totality of human behavior in relation to sources
and channels of information, including both active and passive information-seeking, and
information use.
Information seeking behaviour as purposive seeking of information as a consequence of a
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need to satisfy some goal. Information seeking behaviour is the micro-level of behaviour

2. employed by the searcher in interacting with information systems of all kinds, be it
between the seeker and the system, or the pure method of creating and following up on a
search.
Information seeking model?
• Describe and explain circumstances seeking that predict actions by people seeking
to find information.
User study
It presents a way of thinking of the field, 'user studies'; its aim is not to 'model'
information-seeking behaviour but to draw attention to the interrelationships among
concepts used in the field. It suggests that information-seeking behaviour results from the
recognition of some need, perceived by the user. That behaviour may take several forms:
for example, the user may make demands upon formal systems that are customarily
defined as information systems (such as libraries, on-line services, Prestel or information
centers), or upon systems which may perform information functions in addition to a
primary, non-information function (such as estate agents' offices or car sales agencies,
both of which are concerned with selling, but which may be used to obtain information on
current prices, areas of 'suitable' housing, or details of cars that hold their secondhand
value).
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3. A model may be described as a framework for thinking about a problem and
may evolve into a statement of the relationships among theoretical propositions. Most
models in the general field of information behaviour 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 relationships among stages in
information-seeking behaviour.
The model suggests that information-seeking behaviour arises as a consequence of a need
perceived by an information user, who, in order to satisfy that need, makes demands upon
formal or informal information sources or services, which result in success or failure to
find relevant information. If successful, the individual then makes use of the information
found and may either fully or partially satisfy the perceived need - or, indeed, fail to
satisfy the need and have to reiterate the search process. It also shows that part of the
information-seeking behaviour may involve other people through information exchange
and that information perceived as useful may be passed to other people, as well as being
used (or instead of being used) by the person himself or herself.
The limitation of this kind of model, however, is that it does little more than provide a
map of the area and draw attention to gaps in research: it provides no suggestion of
causative factors in information behaviour and, consequently, it does not directly suggest
hypotheses to be tested.
References :
http://informationr.net/tdw/publ/papers/1999JDoc.html
http://informationr.net/tdw/publ/papers/1999JDoc.html
http://www.slideshare.net/guestab667e/information-seeking-theories-and-models
http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/1941/dissertation.pdf?sequence=1
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