Discuss personality implications to teaching and learning
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The tradition of research in information studies has become more user centered since the beginning of the 1980’s (Kuhlthau, 1991). It has been acknowledged that the user studies have important implications on the availability of information and the development of libraries. Psychology gives us essential understanding of search behaviour (Awaritefe, 1984). This creates a base through which we can develop the search systems and make the information more available for the customer. Instead of, as before, studying the safe and stable information systems the focus is now on the users who often are uncertain and confused (Kuhlthau, 1991).
Today it is increasingly important to be information literate. An information literate person realizes the need for information, finds, evaluates and effectively uses the information he needs (American Library Association, 1989). The aim of the library and information skills curriculum is not only to teach how to locate and access information sources but to develop logical and critical thinking in the students. (Eisenberg & Berkowitz, 1988). Talents like cognitive competence, systematical thinking, energetic information-seeking and an optimistic attitude towards problem solving are important in the information society (Savolainen, 1995)
Understanding of the connection between personality and information seeking can ease the understanding of the different seeking behaviour of the students and help teachers, tutors and librarians support the students in their searches. You must meet each student in the framework of his personal search style, some for instance finds it easier than others to search databases (Hawk, 1993). No single search strategy is the right one, the crucial criteria is how well it suits the individual in question.
The aim of this study is to compare the relationship between personality on the one hand and approaches to learning and information behaviour on the other. The personality, search behaviour and learning style will also be compared to the students´own estimated study result.
The Impact of Personality on Information BehaviourThis research is based on Wilson’s (1997) definition of information behaviour, a term including information seeking and the needs of the user. The term includes the need of information, inner processes and environmental factors affecting the individual’s way of responding to the information need.
Palmer (1991) showed that the information behaviour of scientist could be clustered into five groups of information searchers characterized of different personalities. The first group was the non-seekers. They were not really motivated for information seeking. The second group was the lone, wide rangers. They liked working alone and often found the solution to their problems by chance. They subscribed to more journals than the other groups. They sought information very widely. They also had more personal contacts than the other groups. This could be due to their longer experience in the field. The third group was the unsettled, self-conscious seekers. This group consisted of fresh researchers who were still quite new to the field. They visited the library more frequently than the other groups. They also consulted their colleagues perhaps due to insecurity about their role and their information seeking. They had not chosen the subject for their research themselves. The fourth group was the confident collectors. They didn’t put much effort into conscious information seeking but they tried to keep an open mind for new information. They trusted themselves for getting the proper information. They had worked in their field a long time. The last group was the hunters. These researchers worked in biochemistry, a rapidly changing field. They had developed their own strategies to cope with the information flow. They all had information seeking routines, some even visited the library every day. They had wide contact with colleagues both in the same country and abroad. (Palmer, 1991)
Information-seeking behaviour has also been related to for instance attachment style (Bowlby, 1969). Secure and anguished persons are more curious than avoiding people. Secure persons have a constructive and positive attitude towards information and seek a lot of information. Anguished persons prefer personal contacts when seeking information whereas avoiding persons tend to avoid social contact also in their search behaviour. Insecure persons have more difficulties in coping with unpredictability, disorder and ambiguity. They have a tendency to finish the search process as soon as possible resulting in decisions based on early-received information. They are less prone to change their views and accept new information. (Miculincer, 1997). This insecurity could be linked with neuroticism (Schouwenburg, 1995) which in turn can be linked with a surface learning style (Entwistle, 1988).