Psychological determinants of information searching activity

Abstract

The paper deals with the application of the activity theory in describing psychological determinants of the information searching activity. The notions of information behavior, information retrieval, information competence, information retrieval activity given in Russian and English scientific literature are compared. The research approach to the information retrieval activity based on the principles developed in the Russian theory of activity is described; and the fundamentals of G. Sukhodolsky’s generalized conception of activity are presented for the first time. Analysis of empirical researches showed that specific features of information search depend on how the user evaluates information resources, information, conditions and results of search. Psychological determiners of information search may be detected as the system of evaluative alternatives, which is generated by the user during the process of his experience growth. We discovered that user’s evaluation system is also related to his individual typological and personal regulative features and determines the choice of the search strategy.