Information-seeking behavior on the World Wide Web: Effects of cognitive style, online database search experience and task types on search performance.

摘要

This study sought to investigate the effects of cognitive style (field-dependence/field-independence) and online database search experience (novice/experienced searchers) on users' search performance on two task types (factual and topical search tasks) carried out on a large university Web site. Search performance, the dependent variable, was measured both by the time spent and by the number of nodes visited for the completion of a task. Search performance was also gauged by the users' choice of navigational tools as they carried out the search tasks required. In an exploratory attempt to find the user factors that could be used to predict an efficient search performance, two user factors (cognitive style and online experience) were tested along with other demographic variables. Undergraduate students (n = 48) participated in this study. Based on their cognitive style (measured by Group Embedded Figures Test) and their online database search experience, the participants were divided into four groups. Each participant was asked to search for information on the Web in order to complete two search tasks (factual and topical searches). All online search navigation decisions and nodes visited were recorded in real time using a software program called ScreenCam. The data were coded from these screen transaction logs and analyzed using both ANOVA and regression analyses. Findings suggest that the level of users' online experience influenced the effect of cognitive style on the search performance. There was a strong indication that the difference in performance created by a participant's cognitive style was almost erased in those participants who had considerable online database experience. This kind of interaction between cognitive style and online database search experience was also observed in the choice of navigational tools. The results of the regression analysis seemed to indicate that online database search experience could be used to predict an individual's ability to search the Web efficiently, when efficiency was measured by the number of nodes traversed. Based on findings, suggestions for Web training and the development of some of the Web navigation tools were made.