THEORETICAL STUDY

Negative Attitude Shift in Diverse Information Seeking: the Influence of Selective Information Behavior

  • Zhang Jiajia ,
  • Liu Yingtong ,
  • Zhang Pengyi
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  • Department of Information Management, Peking University, Beijing 100871

Received date: 2024-01-04

  Revised date: 2024-03-14

  Online published: 2024-10-08

Supported by

This work is supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China project titled “Research on the Influence of Information Behavior on Group Cognition Formation in Online Knowledge Communities” (Grant No. 72174014), and the research support project of Jinfa.

Abstract

[Purpose/Significance] The purpose of this study is to explore selective information behavior and attitude shift under the background of multiple information seeking. [Method/Process] This paper employed an eye-tracking experiment in which participants were presented with articles containing positive or negative views on the same topic. The selection and reading process, including eye-movement data, clicking and other behavioral data was recorded. After the experiment, participants finished the report and were interviewed. [Result/Conclusion] The results show that participants have the negativity bias in multiple information seeking, but they are unaware of this bias. Most participants show a negative shift in their attitudes. People with more positive attitudes change their attitudes more negatively. Difference in the type of material participants focuses on when reading positive and negative information influences the attitude change. The study will help enhance the understanding of the selective information behaviors and negative attitude shifts in multiple information seeking, and contribute to the improvement and optimization of the news system.

Cite this article

Zhang Jiajia , Liu Yingtong , Zhang Pengyi . Negative Attitude Shift in Diverse Information Seeking: the Influence of Selective Information Behavior[J]. Library and Information Service, 2024 , 68(18) : 50 -58 . DOI: 10.13266/j.issn.0252-3116.2024.18.006

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