Information Seeking and Scanning

Information seeking and scanning are core concepts in media effects research and have been studied in a variety of contexts. Information seeking includes deliberate, purposive attempts to acquire information from selected information carriers. It is driven by a perceived need for specific information and is intended to fill a gap in one's existing knowledge. Information scanning involves information acquisition through less deliberate means, which occurs during routine patterns of exposure to mediated and interpersonal sources. Scanned information can be recalled at a later time with a minimal prompt. A common methodological problem in research on information seeking and scanning is that individuals may often be unable or unwilling to report their information acquisition behaviors accurately and with precision. Recent studies have employed new technologies and methods as an alternative to reliance on self-reported behavior, with the goal of enhancing the validity and reliability of measures of information seeking and scanning.