Predictive factors of information seeking behavior of smartphone users from different generations

Zhitomirsky-Geffet, Maayan; Blau, Maya

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/96761 Copy

Description

Title

Predictive factors of information seeking behavior of smartphone users from different generations

Author(s)

• Zhitomirsky-Geffet, Maayan
• Blau, Maya

Issue Date

2017

Keyword(s)

• Smartphone usage
• Predictive factors
• Social information seeking
• Functional information seeking
• Cognitive information seeking

Abstract

Two most predominant types of information seeking behaviour of smartphone users were determined based on the existing literature: 1) social information seeking, and 2) functional/cognitive information seeking. A questionnaire comprising 64 items was administered online to 216 Israeli smartphone users of three age groups: generation X, generation Y (Millennials), and generation Z (Mobile natives). Several predictive factors were examined for each of these information seeking behaviour types: gender, personality traits (the Big Five), daily usage time, period of ownership and the level of emotional gain from smartphone usage. Younger generations reported significantly higher emotional gain and social information seeking behavior than older generations. Interestingly, extroversion was positively related to social information seeking behaviour only for generations X and Y, while WhatsApp use was one of the strongest predictive factors only for generation Z. This research has social and practical implications for information system design, education, e-commerce and libraries.

Publisher

iSchools

Series/Report Name or Number

iConference 2017 Proceedings

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/96761

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2017 Maayan Zhitomirsky-Geffe and Maya Blau

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