Information behaviours and the inner life

Tools

Ruthven, Ian (2025) Information behaviours and the inner life. Information Research. ISSN 1368-1613 (In Press)

[thumbnail of Ruthven_Information Behaviours and the Inner Life_ISIC2026] Text. Filename: Ruthven_Information_Behaviours_and_the_Inner_Life_ISIC2026.docx
Restricted to Repository staff only until 1 January 2099.
Download (373kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Introduction. In this paper, I examine internal information behaviours, those information behaviours that deal with information that is already held by a person in their mind or arises from internal information processing. These behaviours have not been a focus in information science research but are critical to how we interact with the external information world. Method. A review of 10 years of information science literature was undertaken to extract examples of internal information behaviours. Analysis. Thematic analysis of the information behaviours was conducted to assemble 53 internal information behaviours into 7 overarching themes. Results. The internal information behaviours cover areas of avoiding, creating, judging, monitoring, realising, seeking, and using information. Conclusion. What people do with information they have already incorporated into their knowledge of the world has been under-studied. This study reveals what we already know about internal information behaviours and provides a mapping of these behaviours into seven major areas of information behaviours.

ORCID iDs

Ruthven, Ian ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6669-5376;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)