Modeling users' web search behavior and their cognitive styles (original) (raw)
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Towards modelling web search behaviour : integrating users’ cognitive styles
PhD thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2013
With the rapid growth of information on the Web, the study of information searching has let to an increased interest. Information behaviour (IB) researchers and information systems (IS) developers are continuously exploring user - Web search interactions to understand and to help users to provide assistance with their information searching. In attempting to develop models of IB, several studies have identified various factors that govern user's information searching and information retrieval (IR), such as age, gender, prior knowledge and task complexity. However, how users' contextual factors, such as cognitive styles, affect Web search interactions has not been clearly explained by the current models of Web Searching and IR. This study explores the influence of users' cognitive styles on their Web search behaviour. The main goal of the study is to enhance Web search models with a better understanding of how these cognitive styles affect Web searching. Modelling Web search behaviour with a greater understanding of user's cognitive styles can help information science researchers and IS designers to bridge the semantic gap between the user and the IS. To achieve the aims of the study, a user study with 50 participants was conducted. The study adopted a mixed method approach incorporating several data collection strategies to gather a range of qualitative and quantitative data. The study utilised pre-search and post-search questionnaires to collect the participants' demographic information and their level of satisfaction about the search interactions. Riding's (1991) Cognitive Style Analysis (CSA) test was used to assess the participants' cognitive styles. Participants completed three predesigned search tasks and the whole user - web search interactions, including thinkaloud, were captured using a monitoring program. Data analysis involved several qualitative and quantitative techniques: the quantitative data gave raise to detailed findings about users' Web searching and cognitive styles, the qualitative data enriched the findings with illustrative examples. The study results provide valuable insights into Web searching behaviour among different cognitive style users. The findings of the study extend our understanding of Web search behaviour and how users search information on the Web. Three key study findings emerged: • Users' Web search behaviour was demonstrated through information searching strategies, Web navigation styles, query reformulation behaviour and information processing approaches while performing Web searches. The manner in which these Web search patterns were demonstrated varied among the users with different cognitive style groups. • Users' cognitive styles influenced their information searching strategies, query reformulation behaviour, Web navigational styles and information processing approaches. Users with particular cognitive styles followed certain Web search patterns. • Fundamental relationships were evident between users' cognitive styles and their Web search behaviours; and these relationships can be illustrated through modelling Web search behaviour. Two models that depict the associations between Web search interactions, user characteristics and users' cognitive styles were developed. These models provide a greater understanding of Web search behaviour from the user perspective, particularly how users' cognitive styles influence their Web search behaviour. The significance of this research is twofold: it will provide insights for information science researchers, information system designers, academics, educators, trainers and librarians who want to better understand how users with different cognitive styles perform information searching on the Web; at the same time, it will provide assistance and support to the users. The major outcomes of this study are 1) a comprehensive analysis of how users search the Web; 2) extensive discussion on the implications of the models developed in this study for future work; and 3) a theoretical framework to bridge high-level search models and cognitive models.
The Impact of Users’ Cognitive Style on Their Navigational Behaviors in Web Searching
User-Web interactions have emerged as an important area of research in the field of information science. In this study, we investigate the effects of users’ cognitive styles on their Web navigational styles and information processing strategies. We report results from the analyses of 594 minutes recorded Web search sessions of 18 participants engaged in 54 scenario-based search tasks. We use questionnaires, cognitive style test, Web session logs and think-aloud as the data collection instruments. We classify users’ cognitive styles as verbalisers and imagers based on Riding’s (1991) Cognitive Style Analysis test. Two classifications of navigational styles and three categories of information processing strategies are identified. Our study findings show that there exist relationships between users’ cognitive style, and their navigational styles and information processing strategies. Verbal users seem to display sporadic navigational styles, and adopt a scanning strategy to understand the content of the search result page, while imagery users follow a structured navigational style and reading approach. We develop a matrix and a model that depicts the relationships between users’ cognitive styles, and their navigational style and information processing strategies. We discuss how the findings from this study could help search engine designers to provide an adaptive navigation support to users.
Web searching interaction model based on user cognitive styles
OZCHI '10 Proceedings of the 22nd Conference of the Computer-Human Interaction Special Interest Group of Australia on Computer-Human Interaction , 2010
As more and more information is available on the Web finding quality and reliable information is becoming harder. To help solve this problem, Web search models need to incorporate users’ cognitive styles. This paper reports the preliminary results from a user study exploring the relationships between Web users’ searching behavior and their cognitive style. The data was collected using a questionnaire, Web search logs and think-aloud strategy. The preliminary findings reveal a number of cognitive factors, such as information searching processes, results evaluations and cognitive style, having an influence on users’ Web searching behavior. Among these factors, the cognitive style of the user was observed to have a greater impact. Based on the key findings, a conceptual model of Web searching and cognitive styles is presented.
… on Computer-Human …, 2012
This paper discusses users' query reformulation behaviour while searching information on the Web. Query reformulations have emerged as an important component of Web search behaviour and humancomputer interaction (HCI) because a user's success of information retrieval (IR) depends on how he or she formulates queries. There are various factors, such as cognitive styles, that influence users' query reformulation behaviour. Understanding how users with different cognitive styles formulate their queries while performing Web searches can help HCI researchers and information systems (IS) developers to provide assistance to the users. This paper aims to examine the effects of users' cognitive styles on their query reformation behaviour. To achieve the goal of the study, a user study was conducted in which a total of 3613 search terms and 872 search queries were submitted by 50 users who engaged in 150 scenariobased search tasks. Riding's (1991) Cognitive Style Analysis (CSA) test was used to assess users' cognitive style as wholist or analytic, and verbaliser or imager. The study findings show that users' query reformulation behaviour is affected by their cognitive styles. The results reveal that analytic users tended to prefer Add queries while all other users preferred New queries. A significant difference was found among wholists and analytics in the manner they performed Remove query reformulations. Future HCI researchers and IS developers can utilize the study results to develop interactive and user-cantered search model, and to provide context-based query suggestions for users.
Thinking style impacts on Web search strategies
Computers in Human Behavior, 2008
Web searches entail complex cognitive processes influenced by individual differences, and users with similar cognitive or skill factors tend to develop multiple search strategies. The authors analyze such strategies in terms of level of thinking style (global versus local), search targets, and six search behavior indicators and report (a) a significant relationship between different thinking style levels and individual search target types and (b) that different thinking style level conditions can cause significant differences in search behavior performance regarding maximum depth of exploration, revisited pages, and Web pages visited for refining answers. The findings suggest that high global style users tend to disperse their targets to comprehend the search task while high local style users elaborate on a few specific topics. Furthermore, high global style users skim more, require less explicit answers, and are less likely to explore an issue in depth compared to high local style or bi-high style individuals. The results confirm that thinking style level is an important factor affecting search intention. To improve search experiences, search engine designers should incorporate human factors into their products so as to take advantage of personal learning approaches.
An important issue that absorbs many attentions is studying the users' required information and their pattern of dynamic interaction with online search. The aim of this study is to identify the relationship between users' cognitive style and information seeking. It is to enhance the quality of information presentation and users' interactions in the Web by adapting their preferences and specific needs. This paper specifically focuses on the use of the Internet by postgraduate engineering students. The sample of this study consists of 50 postgraduate engineering students from the Faculty of Computer Science and Information System in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The findings of this study reveal the linear relationship between users' cognitive styles and information seeking.
Information-seeking behaviours and cognitive search strategies in different search tasks on the WWW
International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 2006
This study investigates the cognitive strategies of 80 participants as they engaged in two researcher-defined tasks and two participant-defined information-seeking tasks using the WWW. Each researcher-defined task and participant-defined task was further divided into a directed search task and a general-purpose browsing task. On the basis of retrospective verbal protocols, log-file data and observations, 12 cognitive search strategies were identified and explained. The differences in cognitive search strategy choice between researcher-defined and participant-defined tasks and between directed search and general-purpose tasks were examined using correspondence analysis. These cognitive search strategies were compared to earlier investigations of search strategies on the WWW.Describing information-seeking behaviours and cognitive search strategies in detail provides website developers and search engine developers with valuable insights into how users seek (and find) information of value to them. Using this information, website developers might gain some knowledge as to how to best represent the content and navigational properties of websites. Search engine developers might wish to make the search and collection strategies more transparent to users. There are also design implications for the designers of web browsers.
Studies on user characteristics claim that individuals are different in their abilities and reacting to a system. Certain types of individuals are flexible and efficient in their uses of online catalogues and databases while others are not. There are many individual variables affecting information seeking behaviors. Among other user variables, this study focused on cognitive styles, competency in using computer technology, and online search experience, and examined how these variables influence users' search performance and choice of navigational tools in online retrieval environments. This study also examined how students utilize the features of academic library online retrieval systems, particularly online library catalogs and databases.
NATIONAL …, 1998
UnderstandinguserbehaviorinretrievingfactualinformationfromtheWorld Wide Web *ilt usrtst *"i ;;;G";s, web inJtructors, and reference librarians' In thisstudy,24graduatestodentswereaskedtosearchtheWebtofindtheanswerstotwo factual questio*. A;;;;-tracing technique, including transaction logs and conculrent verbalization of thotghts ;u'ing ti".sea'ch' provided data on their search processes' includingcognitive,sensorimotor,andaffectivebehaviors.Pre-testsmeasuredcognitive styles(EmbeddedFiguresTes0andpreviouscomputelandsearchexperience.Anxiety levels were ,nonito'LJ before and ^after searching by administering the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. piff"ttn""' in cognitive styb Le significantly related to the time spentoneachquestionandtlrenumbeiofsitesui'it"a.Generally,thosewhofoundan answerinashortertimeandexpressedconfidenceabouttheirresultsfeltlessanxiety. Search procedor", ur"Jln the course ofeach search session varied, but many users found search screens .orrrrig, rr"J i.rur" with the sensorimotor domain, or did not know always know *n.'. iiti'*"t= searctting' Users expressed many kinds of emotions as they searched, which selmed to be an important pi't of the search process' Once an answer was found, even if it was incorrect, most usels felt confident in their ability'
User-Web Interactions: How Wholistic/ Analytic Web Users Search the Web?
User-Web interactions have emerged as an important research in the field of information science. In this study, we examine extensively the Web searching performed by general users. Our goal is to investigate the effects of users’ cognitive styles on their Web search behavior in relation to two broad components: Information Searching and Information Processing Approaches. We use questionnaires, a measure of cognitive style, Web session logs and think-aloud as the data collection instruments. Our study findings show wholistic Web users tend to adopt a top-down approach to Web searching, where the users searched for a generic topic, and then reformulate their queries to search for specific information. They tend to prefer reading to process information. Analytic users tend to prefer a bottom-up approach to information searching and they process information by scanning search result pages.