| Abstract (english) | The affective dimension of information behavior has always been overshadowed by the
theoretical assumptions of the study of information behavior and search.
Affect is a component mentioned in early research of the information retrieval model. Research
on emotions in information behavior has existed since the late 1980s
The importance of studying emotions in information practices and information retrieval has
been posed in recent years as an important paradigm for study.
Emotions change ... More the way the human mind solves a problem. Affective variables guide
cognitive information behavior through human interests, motivation, and feelings. Scientists
who study the influence of affective dimensions agree that the influence of feelings that arise
in different situations and their influence on cognition is necessary to understand information
behavior. The proposed doctoral topic deals with the affective aspects of information behavior
of doctoral students.
As students of the highest level of education, doctoral students must demonstrate relatively
competent information behavior. The increased need for information, the collection and
evaluation of information, and the conversion of information into knowledge is a key segment.
The dissertation preparation process requires and places specific requirements on the doctoral
student and they are expected to possess comprehensive skills in knowledge and information
management. It is the affective dimensions that are the key components that will determine the
course of studies. Overload, stress, frustration all affect information behavior. The aim of the
research is to determine the characteristics of information behavior with a focus on the affective
aspects that appear in doctoral students during their education. Investigate how positive and
negative emotions enhance or limit information practices and how the transition process affects
the course of study in doctoral students working in the science system. The research will
examine the affective dimensions of information behavior in the doctoral student population
(as opposed to the mainstream student-centered approaches), which are exposed to an intense
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transition context, and will indicate the importance of affective elements of information
behavior in the context of transition.
Theoretical background:
The affective dimension of information behavior has always been overshadowed by the
theoretical assumptions of the study of information behavior and search.
Affect is a component mentioned in early research of the information retrieval model.
The importance of studying emotions in information practices and information retrieval has
been posed in recent years as an important paradigm for study.
Emotions change the way the human mind solves a problem. Affective variables guide
cognitive information behavior through human interests, motivation, and feelings. Scientists
who study the influence of affective dimensions agree that the influence of feelings that arise
in different situations and their influence on cognition is necessary to understand information
behavior.
As students of the highest level of education, doctoral students must demonstrate relatively
competent information behavior. The increased need for information, the collection and
evaluation of information, and the conversion of information into knowledge is a key segment.
The theoretical background is based on three concepts, information behaviour theory, affective
perspective in information behavior and theory of transition.
For information behaviour are used models which have affective dimesnion or can be observed
like a grounds for it. Wilson's model of information seeking behaviour was born out of a need
to focus the field of information and library science on human use of information, rather than
the use of sources. Dervin Sense-Making Theory proposes that information is not some- thing
that exists apart from human behavioral activity. Rather, it is created at a specific moment in
time-space by one or more humans.
Carol Kuhlthau developed a six stage model of the human information search process (ISP).
The model includes human feelings, thoughts, actions, and strategies through six stages. The
affective behaviour in information behaviour in the recent time research by: Lopatovska,
Fourie, Savolainen, Krakowska. Transition or period of change, rarely orderly or simple, often
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complex processes experienced in time and space is based on theory of transiton by Meleis, and
extended to the transition in information behavior, reserched bx Willson, Hicks, Ruthven.
Dissertation methodology:
The research was conducted using a mixed methodological approach, combining qualitative
and quantitative methods with a sequential research design.
The qualitative part of the research was conducted using a semi-structured interview.
After analyzing the in-depth interviews and defining the affective experiences common to all
doctoral students, an online survey was conducted on a representative sample of doctoral
students. The recruitment questionnaire was forwarded to higher education institutions that
have postgraduate studies.
The questionnaire served to obtain a general picture of the information behavior of the target
group and the influence of affective experiences on information behavior.
Discussion and Conclusions:
The importance and research potential of this topic is found in the three theoretical frameworks
listed at the beginning. The information behavior of doctoral students is a topic that in itself
opens up a number of questions for research, because doctoral students are a group that has an
increased need for information.The affective aspects of information behavior that have been
studied are an extremely important factor for a successful transition towards the goal, towards
the completion of doctoral studies. Answers to the research questions, what kind of emotions
the doctoral students experience during the search, was investigated in the first and second part
of the research. The emotions that appear are divided into two groups, motivators and barriers.
Emotions were detected as motivators of the information process: stability, security, curiosity,
satisfaction, interest, progress and self-motivation, barriers: stress, frustration, aversion,
uncertainty, doubt, unsystematicity and incompetence. We cannot observe detected emotions
linearly, because sometimes emotions that fall under negative affective aspects can be
motivators of the information process, just as positive emotions do not necessarily contribute
to the continuation and expansion of the search, but can cause excessive security and interrupt
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information processes. Detected emotions need to be observed in context with the situation and
the environment, and it is necessary to take into account the phase of transition, which is the
key element of this research for this examined group. Less |
