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Subjects are often willing to pay a cost for information. In a procedure that promotes paradoxical choices, animals choose between a richer option followed by a cue that is rewarded 50% of the time (No Info) vs. a leaner option followed by one of two cues that signal certain outcomes: one always rewarded (100%) and the other never rewarded, 0% (Info). Since decisions involve comparing the subjective value of options after integrating all their features, preference for information may rely on cortico-amygdalar circuitry. To test this, male and female rats were prepared with bilateral inhibitory Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) in the anterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, basolateral amygdala, or null virus (control). We inhibited these regions after stable preference was acquired. We found that inhibition of the anterior cingulate cortex destabilized choice preference in female rats without affecting latency to choose or response rate to cues. A logistic regression fit revealed that previous choice predicted current choice in all conditions, however previously rewarded Info trials strongly predicted preference in all conditions except in female rats following anterior cingulate cortex inhibition. The results reveal a causal, sex-dependent role for the anterior cingulate cortex in decisions involving information.

Provider web profiles are becoming popular locations for patients to seek information before their visits. This industry insight assesses patients' utilization of a physical therapy clinic's website to determine the impact the addition of physical therapist biographies had on patient perceptions and physical therapist selection. Forty-six percent of first-time patients (n = 786) indicated visiting the clinic's website prior to their visit. After biographies were added, these website visitors rated the website as more helpful, and indicated a greater perception of certainty regarding the services the clinic provides. A greater percentage of website visitors made a purposeful selection of therapist after therapist biographies were posted online than prior to biographies being posted. These findings indicate that improvements to a clinic's website can positively impact patient empowerment in making personal healthcare decisions. Simply adding biographies of physical therapists to clinics' websites can have significant effects on reducing first-time patients' uncertainty, as well as providing a greater level of patient-centered care by offering information to empower patients to be more active participants in their healthcare choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine college students' conflicting COVID-19 information exposure, information-seeking, concern, and cognitive functioning. Participants: 179 undergraduates were recruited in March-April 2020, and 220 in September 2020 (Samples 1 and 2, respectively). Methods: Students completed the Attention Network Test, NASA Task Load Index, and COVID-related questions. Results: In Sample 1, exposure to conflicting information predicted poorer attentional performance and greater COVID-related information-seeking and concern; concern was correlated with workload. In Sample 2, conflicting information was associated with information-seeking. In Sample 1, but not Sample 2, cognitive effects of conflicting information were mediated by information-seeking and virus-related concern. Conclusions: Conflicting COVID-19 information may undermine students' cognitive functions, bearing implications for health, academic performance, and stress. Strategies for countering these effects include enhancing the clarity of institutional messaging, and tailoring course curricula and offering workshops to students, faculty, administrators, and counseling staff to augment students' capacity to comprehend and utilize COVID-related communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boredom and curiosity are common everyday states that drive individuals to seek information. Due to their functional relatedness, it is not trivial to distinguish whether an action, for instance in the context of a behavioral experiment, is driven by boredom or curiosity. Are the two constructs opposite poles of the same cognitive mechanism, or distinct states? How do they interact? Can they co-exist and complement each other? Here, we systematically review similarities and dissimilarities of boredom and curiosity with respect to their subjective experience, functional role, and neurocognitive implementation. We highlight the usefulness of Information Theory for formalizing information-seeking in the context of both states and provide guidelines for their experimental investigation. Our emerging view is that despite their distinction on an experiential level, boredom and curiosity are closely related on a functional level, providing complementary drives on information-seeking: boredom, similar to hunger, arises from a lack of information and drives individuals to avoid contexts with low information yield, whereas curiosity constitutes a mechanism similar to appetite, pulling individuals toward specific sources of information. We discuss predictions arising from this perspective, concluding that boredom and curiosity are independent, but coalesce to optimize behavior in environments providing varying levels of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some animals seek information to solve problems when they do not know the answer. Information-seeking behavior has become a key focus in studies of animal metacognition, providing insights into how animals monitor their own knowledge states. This behavior is thought to be a form of metacognitive control. Nevertheless, research on such metacognitive control has been biased toward specific taxa, such as primates, and has not been conducted in rodents, which are the most common experimental animals. This study examined whether mice exhibit information-seeking behavior during two visual discrimination tasks and what factors influence this behavior. We trained mice to discriminate between stimuli differing in luminance or orientation, with more minor differences increasing task difficulty. An information-seeking option was introduced during these tasks, allowing mice to eliminate distractor stimuli and ensure a correct response. The results indicated that mice sought information more frequently during difficult discriminations than easier ones. However, subsequent generalization tests revealed that the mice relied on environmental cues to utilize the information-seeking option. These findings suggest that information-seeking behavior in mice may not solely reflect metacognitive processes, and further investigation is needed to explore alternative explanations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This narrative review offers a deep dive into the theoretical and empirical literature on adolescent online health information-seeking behavior, specifically in relation to sexual health. It presents ways in which motivational influences impact adolescent social media use to seek sexual health information and offers insight into how Longo's comprehensive and integrated model for understanding health information, communication, and information-seeking and self-determination theory may be used as frameworks for improved understanding in adolescent use of social media for seeking information related to sexual health. The main objectives of this article are, first, to examine the existing literature pertaining to social media, namely its main characteristics and uses by adolescents, its use as an educational tool, and its relation to health information; second, to explore information-seeking and learning through online platforms, particularly social media; and third, to provide a framework utilizing self-determination theory to better understand adolescent motivation in health-seeking behavior. This manuscript advances current knowledge and practices in supporting adolescent skill-development surrounding information-seeking and evaluation behaviors. Such practices will only become more beneficial as young people seek information in various settings (e.g., online, social media platforms, and artificial intelligence systems), particularly sensitive information such as that related to sexual health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to review the psychological literature on curiosity and its relationship to information-seeking behaviour, and compare this with the information science literature on the same subject. Design/methodology/approach: The approach adopted is that of a comparative literature review, with an analysis of the papers retrieved in terms of their theoretical approach, context, study population and research method. Findings: Curiosity is understood as a multi-faceted cognitive trait in humans and the relationship to information-seeking behaviour is explored through an exploration of other personality characteristics. There is very little citation of the information science literature in the psychological papers, and only a little more citation of the psychological literature in the information science papers. Originality/value: The author is not aware of any similar exploration of the literature on curiosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two ways for a situation to be uncertain. Subjective uncertainty refers to not knowing facts. Objective uncertainty refers to future events that have not been determined yet. A wide ranging literature review finds that subjective uncertainty inhibits behavior, increases conserving resources and willpower, and stimulates search for information – though in crude, sometimes dysfunctional fashion. In contrast, objective uncertainty calls for action, reflected in agentic control, increased arousal, and greater willingness to take risks. Again, some responses are irrational, such as exerting more effort for less expected reward, and betting more on uncontrollable future than past events. With both kinds of uncertainty, attention is mobilized and emotion is prolonged. Our review uncovered multiple signs that some uncertainty is beneficial and heightens enjoyment as a kind of spice of life, or, in some cases, as a welcome hope that a bad outcome might still be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myonghwa Park,1 Keunyeob Oh,2 Hyungjun Kim,3 Jongkun Jun,4 Jooyoung Kim,5 Thi-Thanh-Tinh Giap,6 Rhayun Song1 1College of Nursing, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; 2College of Economics and Management, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; 3School of Business, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; 4Division of Global Business and Technology, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Yongin, Republic of Korea; 5School of Business and Technology Management, College of Business, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; 6College of Health Science, VinUniversity, Hanoi, VietnamCorrespondence: Rhayun Song, College of Nursing, Chungnam National University, Munwha-ro 266, Jung-Gu, Daejeon, 35015, Republic of Korea, Tel +82-10-3069-2214, Fax +82-42-580-8309, Email songry@cnu.ac.krPurpose: This study aims to explore how the relationship between information-seeking and infection-prevention behaviors through risk perception changes according to the level of trust in the media and government.Methods: The study is a secondary data analysis of data from a cross-sectional national survey of 700 adults living in the community, representing different age groups, genders, and geographic regions. A validated questionnaire was used to assess information-seeking behaviors, trust in media and government, and risk perception to explain infection-prevention behaviors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A conditional analysis was conducted using SPSS and PROCESS macro (Model 7) to identify the effect of moderated mediation.Results: The participants were fairly balanced by gender and age group. Most participants learned about COVID-19 through major broadcasts and television (56.7%) followed by internet media (21.7%). Information-seeking and risk perception together explained 17% of the variance in infection-prevention behaviors (F=63.95, p< 0.01). The standardized indirect effect (β=0.04, BootCI 0.02, 0.06) was significant at 95% CI. The moderated mediation index (M=− 0.04, CI − 0.05, − 0.01) indicates that trust in media and government influences the effect of information-seeking on risk perception and infection-prevention behavior even after controlling for age and gender.Conclusion: Information-seeking behaviors affect infection-prevention behaviors directly and indirectly through risk perception. Trust in media and government modulates this relationship, emphasizing the importance of establishing trust to promote effective risk communication and long-term public compliance with infection-prevention practices. Health authorities should focus on building trust through transparent risk communication and integrating diverse media perspectives. Further research is needed to explore the psychological and social mechanisms underlying trust in media and government through qualitative, cross-cultural comparisons.Keywords: conditional analysis, information-seeking, risk perception, protective behaviors, trust in media and government

This research aimed to understand the challenges blind and partially sighted people experience in tourism and the travel information they need to plan their travel experiences effectively. To this end, we designed a mixed-methods study consisting of semi-structured interviews and co-design workshops, which were conducted to identify the needs of BPS people and the barriers experienced due to a lack of access to such information. The findings provide insights into the information-seeking process and highlight the role of experience sharing in cultivating a sense of agency, contribution, and interdependence. This study also contributes an accessible tourism ecosystem map based on our findings to highlight the different sources of travel information and their potential role in supporting inclusive travel for BPS people. The findings have implications for research and tourism service design and serve as a tool to motivate research on technologies to support inclusive leisure travel for BPS people and to inform the design of inclusive tourism services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Content descriptions presented on sensitive-content screens reduce how often people view negative images. But does this reduction in exposure come at an emotional cost? Across two experiments, we investigated this possibility. In Experiment 1, we compared participants’ change in state anxiety when exposed to sensitive-content screens with and without brief and detailed content descriptions. State anxiety was similar for participants who saw screens with and without brief content descriptions, but we found larger increases in state anxiety for detailed content descriptions. Therefore, detailed content descriptions negatively impact how people feel when they view sensitive-content screens. In Experiment 2, we presented participants with a single sensitive-content screen, either with or without a brief content description, and gave them the opportunity to uncover it. Participants who uncovered the screen viewed the negative image and then rated their distress. Most participants uncovered the screen and, irrespective of condition, reported similar image-related distress. Taken together, brief descriptions do not negatively impact how people feel when they view sensitive-content screens or the forewarned content. Therefore, brief content descriptions do not create an emotional cost. Social media platforms should move beyond merely warning about upcoming content and provide brief content descriptions indicating what the content depicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's knowledge economy, it is critical to make decisions based on high-quality evidence. Science-related decision-making is thought to rely on a complex interplay of reasoning skills, cognitive styles, attitudes, and motivations toward information. By investigating the relationship between individual differences and behaviors related to evidence-based decision-making, our aim was to better understand how adults engage with scientific information in everyday life. First, we used a data-driven exploratory approach to identify four latent factors in a large set of measures related to cognitive skills and epistemic attitudes. The resulting structure suggests that key factors include curiosity and positive attitudes toward science, prosociality, cognitive skills, and openmindedness to new information. Second, we investigated whether these factors predicted behavior in a naturalistic decision-making task. In the task, participants were introduced to a real science-related petition and were asked to read six online articles related to the petition, which varied in scientific quality, while deciding how to vote. We demonstrate that curiosity and positive science attitudes, cognitive flexibility, prosociality and emotional states, were related to engaging with information and discernment of evidence reliability. We further found that that social authority is a powerful cue for source credibility, even above the actual quality and relevance of the sources. Our results highlight that individual motivating factors toward information engagement, like curiosity, and social factors such as social authority are important drivers of how adults judge the credibility of everyday sources of scientific information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent childhood and adult behavioral disorder. Internet searches for ADHD information are rising, particularly for diagnosis and treatment. Despite effective ADHD treatments, research suggests that there are delays in seeking help for ADHD. Identifying ways to shorten delays is important for minimizing morbidity associated with ADHD. One way to shorten these delays is to improve internet health information resources. Research shows that parents of children with ADHD feel that much of the information available is technical and not tailored for their childs needs and verbal instructions given by health care providers were too pharmacologically focused with limited information about how to manage and support ADHD symptoms in daily living. A majority of parents search the internet for general and pharmacological information for ADHD and prefer web-based resources for learning about ADHD, but web-based resources may be inaccurate and of low quality. Ensuring accurate information through the internet is an important step in assisting parents and adults in making informed decisions about the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. OBJECTIVE: Although a great deal of information regarding ADHD is available on the internet, some information is not based on scientific evidence or is difficult for stakeholders to understand. Determining gaps in access to accurate ADHD information and stakeholder interest in the type of information desired is important in improving patient engagement with the health care system, but minimal research addresses these needs. This study aims to determine the information needs and formatting needs of web-based content for adults with ADHD and parents of children with ADHD in order to improve user experience and engagement. METHODS: This was a 3-phase study consisting of in-depth phone interviews about experiences with ADHD and barriers searching for ADHD-related information, focus groups where participants were instructed to consider the pathways by which they made decisions using web-based resources, and observing participants interacting with a newly developed website tailored for adults with potential ADHD and caregivers of children who had or might have ADHD. Phase 1 individual interviews and phase 2 focus groups identified the needs of the ADHD stakeholders related to website content and format. Interview and focus group findings were used to develop a website. Phase 3 used think-aloud interviews to evaluate website usability to inform the tailoring of the website based on user feedback. RESULTS: Interviews and focus group findings revealed preferences for ADHD website information and content, website layout, and information sources. Themes included a preference for destigmatizing information about ADHD, information specific to patient demographics, and evidence-based information tailored to lay audiences. CONCLUSIONS: ADHD stakeholders are specifically seeking positive information about ADHD presented in a user-friendly format.

Boredom and curiosity are common everyday states that drive individuals to seek information. Due to their functional relatedness, it is not trivial to distinguish whether an action, for instance in the context of a behavioral experiment, is driven by boredom or curiosity. Are the two constructs opposite poles of the same cognitive mechanism, or distinct states? How do they interact? Can they co-exist and complement each other? Here, we systematically review similarities and dissimilarities of boredom and curiosity with respect to their subjective experience, functional role, and neurocognitive implementation. We highlight the usefulness of Information Theory for formalizing information-seeking in the context of both states and provide guidelines for their experimental investigation. Our emerging view is that despite their distinction on an experiential level, boredom and curiosity are closely related on a functional level, providing complementary drives on information-seeking: boredom, similar to hunger, arises from a lack of information and drives individuals to avoid contexts with low information yield, whereas curiosity constitutes a mechanism similar to appetite, pulling individuals toward specific sources of information. We discuss predictions arising from this perspective, concluding that boredom and curiosity are independent, but coalesce to optimize behavior in environments providing varying levels of information.

This study examined the impact of patient-centered care, satisfaction with the hospital environment, and maternal information-seeking on maternal healthcare satisfaction in Tanzania. A total of 707 mothers who delivered at Chanika Hospital in Tanzania were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify factors related to maternal satisfaction. Only 9.9% of the participants reported that they "usually" or "always" felt involved in treatment decisions. High levels of satisfaction were found for hospital cleanliness (93.6%) and safety (94.9%). However, there was a significant gap in satisfaction regarding the adequacy of water quality for medical services, with only 8.1% expressing satisfaction. Limited use of digital platforms was observed in terms of information-seeking behavior for fetal development, with only 19.5% of the participants using the internet and 14.3% using mobile apps. Patient-centered experiences with healthcare providers, especially midwives, had a significant positive impact on maternal satisfaction (β = 0.11, p = 0.021). Other significant variables were satisfaction with the hospital environment (β = 0.25, p < 0.001) and satisfaction with hospital water (β = 0.13, p < 0.001). It is recommended that healthcare improvements focus on patient-centered experiences and water quality for drinking and medical services to improve patient satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pregnant women often turn to the internet as a primary source of pregnancy-related information. However, there is great concern about the accuracy of health-related information on the internet, making research on women's internet behaviours and decision-making critically important. Previous research has been conducted within a number of distinct but related fields, yet existing review papers have often failed to connect across the various disciplines. This review aims to synthesise the large and cross-disciplinary body of literature on women's health information-seeking internet behaviour regarding pregnancy and childbirth. A narrative literature review, which includes research from both health and social sciences, was conducted. Findings address the 'who, where, what, why, and how' of information-seeking behaviour on the internet, with suggestions for future research in each area further discussed. Additional research which addresses the remaining gaps in the literature can help providers be more aware of their patients' informational needs. Providers can be an important source of information, while also helping guide their patients on how to evaluate information. Enhanced patient portals and communication platforms can help to provide more timely and reliable information. Providing their patients with guides can be important for fostering enhanced health literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Various strategies against COVID-19 have been adopted in different countries, with vaccination and mask-wearing being widely used as self-preventive interventions. However, the underlying structure of these behaviors and related factors remain unclear. Purpose In this study, we aimed to explore the network structure of preventive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic and their underlying factors, incorporating age and sex in the network. Methods We used a multi-center sample of 20,863 adults who were vaccinated against COVID-19 in China between April 1, 2021, and June 1, 2021. Networks were estimated using unregularized partial correlation models. We also estimated the accuracy and stability of the network. Results The preventive behaviors related to network factors revealed that self-initiated vaccination was more connected with cognition factors, and mask-wearing was more connected with personal profiles. The two clusters were linked through information-seeking and political beliefs. Moreover, self-initiated vaccination was negatively connected with vaccine hesitancy and concerns about COVID-19 vaccines and positively connected with trust in the vaccines, pandemic-related altruism, political beliefs, and being married. Mask-wearing was negatively connected with being a professional/white collar worker and higher education level and positively connected with regular physical examination, self-rated health, migration, being married, and better family relationships. Incorporation of age and sex into the network revealed relevant associations between age and mask-wearing and age and self-initiated vaccination. The network was highly accurately estimated. The subset bootstrap showed that the order of node strength centrality, betweenness, and closeness were all stable. The correlation stability coefficient (CS-coefficient) also showed the stability of this estimate, with 0.75 for node strength, 0.75 for betweenness, and 0.67 for closeness. Conclusions The internal structures of vaccination and mask-wearing behaviors were quite different, the latter of which were mainly affected by socioeconomic status and health-related behaviors and the former by knowledge about vaccines and political beliefs. Information-seeking and family relationships were the bridge factors connecting these two self-preventive behavior clusters, suggesting the direction of future efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of work aims to explore the reasons behind startup failures. However, there is a need for integrative approaches organized around conceptual frameworks to avoid fragmented and perplexing knowledge about these reasons. To our knowledge, no previous research has systematically investigated the role of competency deficits in startup failures, a crucial element of these failures. In our study, we adapted Spencer's behavioral competence model specifically for startups to identify the competencies within startup teams that, according to their Chief Executive Officers, contributed to their downfall. Three coders meticulously analyzed 50 online accounts of startup failures using a modified Critical Incident Technique. This analysis revealed two prominent competency deficits as pivotal determinants of these startups' outcomes: information-seeking and customer service orientation. Additionally, deficits in technical expertise, analytical thinking, and flexibility emerged as significant factors contributing to these failures. The competency deficits identified in this study offer focal points for evaluating and enhancing startup teams, thereby helping to prevent failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundIn a prior study at the start of the pandemic, we reported reduced numbers of Google searches for the term "conjunctivitis" in the United States in March and April 2020 compared with prior years. As one explanation, we conjectured that reduced information-seeking may have resulted from social distancing reducing contagious conjunctivitis cases. Here, after 1 year of continued implementation of social distancing, we asked if there have been persistent reductions in searches for "conjunctivitis," and similarly for other communicable disease terms, compared to control terms.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine if reduction in searches in the United States for terms related to conjunctivitis and other common communicable diseases occurred in the spring-winter season of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to compare this outcome to searches for terms representing noncommunicable conditions, COVID-19, and to seasonality.MethodsWeekly relative search frequency volume data from Google Trends for 68 search terms in English for the United States were obtained for the weeks of March 2011 through February 2021. Terms were classified a priori as 16 terms related to COVID-19, 29 terms representing communicable conditions, and 23 terms representing control noncommunicable conditions. To reduce bias, all analyses were performed while masked to term names, classifications, and locations. To test for the significance of changes during the pandemic, we detrended and compared postpandemic values to those expected based on prepandemic trends, per season, computing one- and two-sided P values. We then compared these P values between term groups using Wilcoxon rank-sum and Fisher exact tests to assess if non-COVID-19 terms representing communicable diseases were more likely to show significant reductions in searches in 2020-2021 than terms not representing such diseases. We also assessed any relationship between a term's seasonality and a reduced search trend for the term in 2020-2021 seasons. P values were subjected to false discovery rate correction prior to reporting. Data were then unmasked.ResultsTerms representing conjunctivitis and other communicable conditions showed a sustained reduced search trend in the first 4 seasons of the 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic compared to prior years. In comparison, the search for noncommunicable condition terms was significantly less reduced (Wilcoxon and Fisher exact tests, P

Abstract Background Given the rapid growth of digital media resources, it is worth exploring childbearing women’s use of digital media to address their information needs. The aim of this study was to explore the use of digital media during pregnancy and birth in the local population of Western Victorian women in Melbourne, Australia. Methods A descriptive exploratory approach was used. An online survey consisted of both quantitative and qualitative questions to identify and measure digital media use in pregnancy and the birthing period. Descriptive statistics and Pearson Chi-square test were used to analyse the quantitative data, while content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. Results Digital media has become an integral part of the experience in pregnancy with increasing growth of digital media in labour. The most used medium for digital media use was pregnancy applications, followed by websites, social media, YouTube, podcasts, online discussion forums and lastly, labour applications. Information seeking was the main reason for using digital media, and two main themes emerged from the qualitative data; ‘connection with others for social support and reassurance’ and ‘information seeking and providing to assist decision making and providing reassurance’. Conclusion This study highlights the need for future midwifery practice to include digital media sources in antenatal education and care. There is a need for healthcare institutions to improve digital media technology to meet the needs of women. This is crucial as digital media is constantly evolving, and as healthcare providers, we need to integrate digital media with healthcare services.

A growing body of work aims to explore the reasons behind startup failures. However, there is a need for integrative approaches organized around conceptual frameworks to avoid fragmented and perplexing knowledge about these reasons. To our knowledge, no previous research has systematically investigated the role of competency deficits in startup failures, a crucial element of these failures. In our study, we adapted Spencer’s behavioral competence model specifically for startups to identify the competencies within startup teams that, according to their Chief Executive Officers, contributed to their downfall. Three coders meticulously analyzed 50 online accounts of startup failures using a modified Critical Incident Technique. This analysis revealed two prominent competency deficits as pivotal determinants of these startups’ outcomes: information-seeking and customer service orientation. Additionally, deficits in technical expertise, analytical thinking, and flexibility emerged as significant factors contributing to these failures. The competency deficits identified in this study offer focal points for evaluating and enhancing startup teams, thereby helping to prevent failure.

Purpose: This systematic literature review aims to elaborate on the research progress and features of information source preferences to help other researchers attain a more comprehensive understanding of the field. Design/methodology/approach: Following a systematic review protocol, 139 research articles from 11 academic databases were analyzed. Findings: Overall, five separate results were obtained: first, information source horizon theory is the main theoretical foundation of information source preferences research, while other theories have been applied less. Second, information source preference research has strong context sensitivity and involves health, work, consumption, learning, survival and development and emergencies. Third, preference criteria can be summarized into three categories: information characteristics, user characteristics, needs characteristics and corresponding specific criteria. Fourth, information source preferences are influenced by both internal and external factors, including five specific aspects, namely demographics, the user's cognition, the user's affection, capital and contextual factors. Fifth, this field is dominated by quantitative methods and an information horizon mapping method could be applied more. Originality/value: This study is the first to reveal the general picture of information source preferences. It also elaborates on the characteristics of this field and presents potential development directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African immigrants in the United States have contributed to a culturally and linguistically diverse US population. This also implies an increase in health disparities as minority populations experience a higher prevalence of communicable diseases that are closely linked with social, economic, and environmental disadvantages. Although African immigrants are more likely to be educated, they are also more likely to be challenged by factors associated with cultural differences, language skills, lower health literacy, and access to health information and care services. The purpose of this study was to examine if media use, including social media usage and other communication-related factors (health literacy, eHealth literacy, and health information seeking) influenced their motivations for the prevention of communicable diseases. Based on the Protective Motivation Theory, the study also examined the influence of communication-related factors on threat appraisal (risk perception, vulnerability, and perceived seriousness), coping appraisal (self-efficacy and response efficacy), and risk-reduction behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropomorphism, the tendency to interpret non-human animal behavior through a human-like cognitive lens, poses a persistent challenge in the study of animal cognition. A more significant issue, however, lies in the reliance on simplistic and convenient tests as the sole determinants of specific cognitive abilities in the animals being investigated. Despite these tests being burdened with excessive expectations and complex assumptions, researchers often overlook these intricacies without awareness. This paper advocates for a more comprehensive approach to studying animal cognition and discusses mirror self-recognition and metacognitive information-seeking behavior as illustrative examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information-seeking behavior often features in research on metacognition in non-human animals; some species seek more information when they do not know the location of a food reward. Rats are known to do this in situations of uncertainty, but it is still unclear if they seek information prospectively for solving a later problem. In this study, we investigated rats' information-seeking responses in two areas that presented different cognitive challenges (N = 4). In one area, a memory task was presented in which rats could access a cue for a food reward during the information-seeking phase of a trial, but the cue was removed before the subsequent test phase. In the other area, a discrimination task presented a cue that was available in both the information-seeking and the test phases, so that it was not necessary to seek information prospectively. The memory and discrimination test trials were given in quasi-random order (Experiment 1). Rats explored in the memory task area no more than in the discrimination task area during the information-seeking phase, even after extensive training. When they were exposed exclusively to the memory task over multiple sessions (Experiment 2), they developed a strategy of exploring the available object cues. In Experiment 3, rats were found to stay longer in an area, which had an object than in other, less potentially informative areas; they were sensitive to the presence of information. Although these results did not support the existence of prospective informationseeking in rats, they do not necessarily imply that rats lack related abilities. This consideration is due to the constraints of the small sample size and the limited scope of the testing environment. Accumulating not only positive but also negative evidence would further understanding of the factors influencing metacognitive responses in non-human animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two main coping styles regarding information seeking under medical threat; monitoring (information-seeking) and blunting (information-avoiding). The aim of this study is to (1) determine factors associated with a monitoring or blunting coping style in gastro-intestinal stromal tumour (GIST) patients and (2) investigate its association with psychological distress, cancer-related concerns, health-related quality of life and satisfaction with healthcare. In a cross-sectional study, Dutch GIST patients completed the shortened version of the Threatening Medical Situations Inventory to determine their coping style, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Cancer Worry Scale, EORTC QLQ-C30 and part of the EORTC QLQ-INFO25. A total of 307 patients were classified as blunters (n = 175, 57%) or monitors (n = 132, 43%). Coping style was not associated with tumour or treatment variables, but being a female (OR 2.5; 95%CI 1.5–4.1; p= <.001) and higher educated (OR 5.5; 95%CI 2.5–11.9, p= <.001) were associated with higher odds of being a monitor. Monitors scored significantly lower on emotional functioning (mean = 86.8 vs mean = 90.9, p=.044), which is considered a trivial difference, more often experienced severe fear of cancer recurrence or progression (53.0% vs 37.7%, p=.007), and had more concerns about dying from GIST in the future (60.6% vs 47.4%, p=.025). Compared to blunters, monitors were less satisfied with the received healthcare and information, and would have liked to receive more information. GIST patients with a monitoring coping style experience a higher emotional burden. Additionally, monitors exhibit a greater need for information. Although this need for information could potentially result in fears and concerns, recognising it may also create an opening for tailored communication and information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information seeking behaviour (ISB) includes activities or actions taken by a person in identifying information needs, searching and seeking for the needed information, as well as, the behaviour for selecting and using the information to satisfy the identified needs. This ISB study seeks to explore information seeking behaviour among rural dwellers in Sarawak. Their demographical differences, which focus on age and academic qualifications, were examined based on their information-searching behaviour for preferred reading, preferred source of information, preferred information channel or medium and information trustworthiness. By utilizing a cross-sectional quantitative survey method, a proportionate distribution of 2000 questionnaires were employed to match the number of populations at 22 rural locations, identified based on Sarawak administrative districts. This study found that academic qualification and age level have more significant differences in the way that the rural dwellers indicate their information needs, information-seeking and information behaviour. The findings also illustrate that the respondents are heavily dependent on information provided by trusted people (face-to-face), such as by schoolteachers, friends and families, religious people (the imam/priest), as well as, information from reliable sources including from public libraries and public talks or events. For a greater understanding of the information needs among rural communities, local authorities may recruit and train local volunteers to assist with rural library projects. Additionally, library authorities together with local authorities and government agencies can assist these rural dwellers to readily adopt new technologies, to ensure an efficient distribution and sharing of information, especially in the remote areas of Sarawak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore factors associated with communication and information-seeking after receipt of skin cancer prevention information among Hispanic individuals. Methods: Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze existing data on demographics, personal experience, salience, and beliefs variables collected from Hispanic individuals to determine independent associations with sharing and seeking information about skin cancer prevention. Results: Of 578 participants, 53% reported any communication about skin cancer prevention behaviors or skin cancer genetic risk; and 31% and 21% sought additional information about preventive behaviors or genetic risk, respectively. Female sex, greater perceived severity, higher comparative chance of getting skin cancer, and lower health literacy were associated with greater communication, while having no idea of one's own skin cancer risk was related to less communication. Greater health numeracy and higher cancer worry were associated with information-seeking about prevention behaviors and genetic risk. Conclusion: Up to half of participants reported communication or information-seeking, although factors associated with specific activities differed. Future studies should evaluate how to promote communication behaviors in the Hispanic community and how sharing and seeking information influence an individual's network prevention practices. Innovation: Several factors related to communication behaviors among Hispanic people after obtaining skin cancer prevention information were identified.Trial registration: This trial was registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03509467).

This article delves into the evolution of web search query behavior among translation trainees over a semester, using a repeated measures design. While prior research in Translation Studies has predominantly focused on information-seeking patterns and types of resources used, a crucial gap remains in understanding the web search query behavior of diverse translation practitioners. Specifically, this investigation analyzes intra-subject and inter-task level changes in web search query behavior within a group of 19 first-year master's students enrolled in an English-to-Chinese translation course, building upon key literature in the field. The statistical analysis conducted reveals changes in the examined variables—query time, complexity, and language—highlighting the importance of targeted research and training to enhance web search skills and search engine proficiency. These findings carry relevant implications for translation practitioners, particularly as new AI technologies continue to expand and enhance their search toolbox and skillset.

Factors affecting information-seeking behaviour can be task-endogenous (e.g., probability of winning a gamble), or task-exogenous (e.g., personality trait measures). Various task-endogenous factors affecting non-instrumental information-seeking behaviour have been identified, but it is unclear how task-exogenous factors affect such behaviour, and if they interact with task-endogenous factors. In an online information seeking experiment (N = 279), we focus on the role that outcome probability, as a task-endogenous factor, has on information preferences. We find reliable preference for advance information on highly probable gains and low preference for highly probable losses. Comparisons with individual trait measures of information preference (e.g., intolerance of uncertainty scale, obsessive-compulsive inventory, information preferences scale) reveal minimal association between these task-exogenous factors with choice task performance. We also find minimal interaction between outcome probability and individual trait measures. Despite the choice task and trait measures purportedly tapping the same (or similar) construct, the absence of clear relationships ultimately suggests a multi-dimensional nature of information preference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the rapid growth of digital media resources, it is worth exploring childbearing women's use of digital media to address their information needs. The aim of this study was to explore the use of digital media during pregnancy and birth in the local population of Western Victorian women in Melbourne, Australia. Methods: A descriptive exploratory approach was used. An online survey consisted of both quantitative and qualitative questions to identify and measure digital media use in pregnancy and the birthing period. Descriptive statistics and Pearson Chi-square test were used to analyse the quantitative data, while content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. Results: Digital media has become an integral part of the experience in pregnancy with increasing growth of digital media in labour. The most used medium for digital media use was pregnancy applications, followed by websites, social media, YouTube, podcasts, online discussion forums and lastly, labour applications. Information seeking was the main reason for using digital media, and two main themes emerged from the qualitative data; 'connection with others for social support and reassurance' and 'information seeking and providing to assist decision making and providing reassurance'. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for future midwifery practice to include digital media sources in antenatal education and care. There is a need for healthcare institutions to improve digital media technology to meet the needs of women. This is crucial as digital media is constantly evolving, and as healthcare providers, we need to integrate digital media with healthcare services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low awareness about palliative care among the global public and healthcare communities has been frequently cited as a persistent barrier to palliative care acceptance. Given that knowledge shapes attitudes and encourages receptiveness, it is critical to examine factors that influence the motivation to increase knowledge. Health information-seeking from individuals and media has been identified as a key factor, as the process of accessing and interpreting information to enhance knowledge has been shown to positively impact health behaviours. Objective: Our study aimed to uncover public sentiments toward palliative care in Singapore. A conceptual framework was additionally developed to investigate the relationship between information-seeking preferences and knowledge, attitudes, receptiveness of palliative care, and comfort in death discussion. Design and Methods: A nationwide survey was conducted in Singapore with 1226 respondents aged 21 years and above. The data were analysed through a series of hierarchical multiple regression to examine the hypothesised role of information-seeking sources as predictors. Results: Our findings revealed that 53% of our participants were aware of palliative care and about 48% were receptive to receiving the care for themselves. It further showed that while information-seeking from individuals and media increases knowledge, attitudes and receptiveness to palliative care, the comfort level in death conversations was found to be positively associated only with individuals, especially healthcare professionals. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the need for public health authorities to recognize people's deep-seated beliefs and superstitions surrounding the concept of mortality. As Asians view death as a taboo topic that is to be avoided at all costs, it is necessary to adopt multipronged communication programs to address those fears. It is only when the larger communicative environment is driven by the media to encourage public discourse, and concurrently supported by timely interventions to trigger crucial conversations on end-of-life issues between individuals, their loved ones, and the healthcare team, can we advance awareness and benefits of palliative care among the public in Singapore. Plain language summary: A nationwide survey to understand public sentiments and the extent that information-seeking preferences can increase knowledge, attitudes, receptiveness of palliative care, and comfort level in death discussion in Singapore Low awareness of palliative care is a barrier that persistently hinders palliative care acceptance among populations in developing and developed countries. As knowledge shapes attitudes and encourages receptiveness, it is vital that researchers uncover factors that influence the motivation to increase knowledge. Health information-seeking is a factor that deserves greater attention in palliative care research because the process of seeking out information on health concerns from other people or the media can greatly increase individuals' knowledge. As such, this nationwide survey involving 1226 participants was carried out in Singapore to understand the public sentiments toward palliative care. It further statistically analyzed if information-seeking (from individuals and the media) will increase knowledge, attitudes, receptiveness toward palliative care, and comfort level in death discussion. Our findings indicated that 53% of our participants were aware of palliative care and about 48% were receptive to receiving the care for themselves. Furthermore, while information-seeking from individuals and media increases knowledge, attitudes, and receptiveness to palliative care, people are only comfortable to engage in death discussion with individuals, especially healthcare professionals. Exposure to media alone is not enough to encourage individuals to want to talk about end-of-life issues including palliative care. As Asians view death as a taboo topic, it is important for public health authorities to recognize people's deep-seated beliefs and superstitions surrounding the concept of mortality. A multipronged communication program is therefore needed to address these fears. It is only when the larger communicative environment driven by the media to encourage public discourse, and concurrently supported by timely interventions to trigger crucial conversations on end-of-life issues between individuals, their loved ones, and the healthcare team, can we advance awareness and benefits of palliative care among the public in Singapore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation continues to increase as some perceive cannabis to be helpful for symptom management and coping. As such, pregnant and lactating people are faced with challenging decisions, weighing benefits against the potential risks of cannabis use. To help clinicians facilitate informed choices, we explored the self‐identified information needs of pregnant and lactating people who are deciding whether or not to use cannabis. We aimed to describe the modes and sources of their information‐seeking and their satisfaction with the information they found. Methods: We interviewed 52 people in Canada who made the decision to start, stop, or continue using cannabis during pregnancy and lactation. Participants were recruited from advertisements in prenatal clinics and on social media. We utilized an inductive approach to analysis focused on information used in decision‐making about cannabis use, including the process of seeking and evaluating that information. Results: Participants were deliberate in their search for information, most commonly seeking information on risks of use. Information sources were mainly online material or people in their social networks. Clinicians were not commonly described as a knowledgeable or supportive source of information. Overwhelmingly, participants described the information they found as insufficient and emphasized the need for more comprehensive and trustworthy sources of information. Conclusions: Participants identified distinct and unmet information needs associated with their decision to use cannabis. They described a desire for clear evidence about the impact of cannabis use, including information about how to balance the benefits they perceived from cannabis use with the risks of harm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we investigate the effects of leader subjective ambivalence on team performance. Integrating the ambivalence literature and social learning theory, we propose a multi‐level model of whether, when, and why team leaders' subjective ambivalence enhances team performance outcomes. The results of two laboratory experiments (Studies 1 and 2) demonstrate initial support for the relationship between leader subjective ambivalence and information‐seeking behaviors. The results of a longitudinal field study (Study 3) based on 164 projects (164 leaders and 725 subordinates) show that leader subjective ambivalence has a positive indirect effect on team task performance first through leader information‐seeking behaviors and later through team information‐seeking behaviors. Our results further indicate that project complexity is a boundary condition for the proposed conditional indirect effect of leader subjective ambivalence on team performance outcomes. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the risk of COVID-19, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games were staged without spectators for the first time in modern Olympic history. Health risks, including pandemics such as COVID-19 and SARS, have caused a serious concern for event participants, stakeholders, and tourists. While seeking information on risks posed by particular destinations is an essential step when making travel decisions, especially during a pandemic, there is limited sport tourism research that scrutinized the relationship between prospective travellers' health risk perceptions in the specific context of COVID-19. This article examines the relationship between prospective spectators' risk perception toward COVID-19 and their information-seeking about the virus, with a specific focus on the moderating effect of spectators' risk-taking tendency in the context of their intention to attend the Games. The study involved a survey of 240 South Korean and 286 American prospective spectators. Prospective spectators perceived COVID-19 as a source of severe risk, significantly decreasing their intention to travel to the destination. This study found positive associations between COVID-19 risk perception and information-seeking and between information-seeking and intent to attend. The results imply that information-seeking regarding the pandemic in the host region is an important predictor of prospective spectators' attendance because seeking information demonstrates an intention to attend despite a perception of high risk. Furthermore, this paper makes a cross-national comparison of the implications of the moderating role of an individual's risk-taking tendency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Seeking information on mental health issues – both for oneself and on behalf of others (so-called surrogate-seeking) – is a critical early step in dealing with mental illness and known to impede stigmatizing attitudes and foster help-seeking. Yet, knowledge about mental health tends to be insufficient worldwide. Therefore, it is necessary to better understand the search for mental health information and examine the factors that are positively associated with information-seeking. Method In a face-to-face survey in Germany (N = 1,522), we investigated the factors related to mental health information-seeking. The data was analyzed by means of a logistic regression model, in which we distinguished those searching information for themselves from so-called surrogate seekers, i.e., people who seek information on behalf of someone else. Results Twenty-six percent of German adults in our sample have already searched for information on mental health, with the majority already having searched for information for others (73% of all seekers). Our findings indicate that individuals’ proximity to people with mental health issues, including their own mental health treatment experience (Cramer’s V = .429, p

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic's significant impact on the dining-out industry, this study examined factors influencing consumers' dining-out behavior changes using a unified theoretical framework based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and select components of the risk information seeking and processing (RISP) model. A quantitative research method was employed, analyzing 536 valid survey responses collected in South Korea in early 2021 using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings showed that consumer attitude, perceived control, and subjective norm positively influenced dining-out intention, supporting the TPB. However, risk information-seeking behavior discourages dining-out behavior without significantly affecting intention. Fear emerged as a determinant of dining-out intention, risk information-seeking behavior, and dining-out behavior, highlighting the importance of emotions over rational thinking. This study contributes to existing literature by incorporating dining-out intention, COVID-19-related information-seeking behavior, and fear as key antecedents of dining-out behavior during the pandemic, while validating formative indicators that constitute risk information-seeking behavior and dining-out behavior in the research model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What types of sources did people seek out for local information about COVID-19? In this study, we explore the information-seeking repertoires that Illinois residents had for obtaining information about the spread of COVID-19 within their local communities. We use data from a statewide survey of adults living in Illinois to identify five distinct repertoires that differ in terms of the range of sources consulted and the level of information sought. We then examine how differences in information-seeking repertoires relate to sociodemographics, the type of geographic community respondents live in, and their level of concern about COVID-19. Our results show similarity and divergence in the ways people sought out information about COVID-19 in their local communities, with local news playing a key role in all information-seeking repertoires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Misinformation remained a critical consideration during the COVID-19 that further cultivated fears leading to strong unrest among the public globally. This study clarifies certain misconceptions related to the pandemic by investigating whether factors such as altruism, entertainment, information-sharing, information-seeking, comprehensibility have impact on COVID-19 misinformation acceptance and sharing it in the UAE culture, with gender as a moderating factor. An online survey (google.com) was used, with a sample of 200 university students, and analyzed using PLS-SEM software to determine the effects of constructed factors. The findings indicated that entertainment, information-sharing, and information-seeking factors have impact on sharing COVID-19 misinformation, while comprehensibility has impact on acceptance of misinformation. Interestingly, gender was found to have no impact on all the constructed factors, suggesting that other moderating factors (e.g., age) need to be considered in future research. Generally, online users need to learn how to verify online information that they receive/share on other social media, especially regarding health concern.

What makes an explanation satisfying? Much work hasinvestigated explanatory preferences for things like animalsand artifacts, but how do explanation preferences manifest ineveryday life? Here, we focus on the criminal justice system asa case study. In this domain, outcomes critically depend on howmembers of the system (e.g., lawyers, jurors) generate andinterpret explanations. We investigate lay preferences for twodifferent classes of explanations: those that appeal to‘mechanistic’ aspects of a crime (i.e., how the culpritcommitted the crime) vs. ‘teleological’ aspects of that crime(i.e., the purpose of the crime). In two experiments, wedemonstrate that people have a systematic preference for'motive' accounts of crimes (analogous to a teleologypreference) at different stages of the investigative process. Wediscuss these findings in light of a broad literature on thecognitive basis of explanation preferences. We also discussimplications for the criminal justice system.

Given the vast nature of information available in the world,humans must select a small subset from which to learn in alifetime. Yet we know little about the factors that motivatelearners’ decisions to attend to select certain informationsources over others. We investigate the role of topicknowledge on curiosity in a new domain: novel news stories.We influenced listeners’ perception of their topic knowledgein these novel domains by independently varying the numberof sentences they heard and the number of sentences thatremained after a decision point. Listeners were most curiouswhen they reported intermediate levels of topic knowledge.As expected, learners were less likely to switch away fromcontent that they were curious about. This resultdemonstrates that topic knowledge directly impacts learners’curiosity and thus has downstream influences on their futureinterests and information-seeking behaviors.

Belief is an attitude toward a proposition. Current studies suggest that single belief formation is an active process. The key step in the belief formation process is information-seeking. Multiple sites of the brain play an important role in motivating individuals to seek information such as cortico-basal ganglia neural networks, neural systems for reward prediction errors, and orbitofrontal cortex. Based on previous studies, the information is processed by single neurons in higher areas of the brain. It can be assumed that some features of belief are encoded as information in memory. We hypothesize there can be a relationship between former beliefs and formation of new beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]