Surveying the relationship between the thinking styles and the information seeking behavior among graduate students of Science Faculty and Humanities Faculty in Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

Document Type : مقالات پژوهشی

Authors

1 Assistant professor, MEDLIS Dept, Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IRAN

2 Phd-course student, Kharazmi university, Karaj, IRAN

Abstract

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the relationship between thinking styles and information-seeking behavior among students of the two faculties.

Methodology: Through the surveying method, a sample of 306 students was selected from the 1532 students according to randomized stratified way proportionate to the community volume. The data were gathered exploiting two questionnaires, one on thinking styles and the other on information seeking behavior and were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage), and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient, Fisher's Z-test and multiple regression).

Findings: Correlation values at the level of P < 0.05 showed a significant and positive relationship between thinking style and information-seeking behavior. The existence of such relationship between the male and female students was also examined. Based on the findings, it was concluded that regarding thinking style factors, on determining the thinking style to be legislative, anarchic or oligarchic, predicting the information-seeking behavior is possible. This point was investigated regarding the two faculties’ students too.

Keywords


Ford, N.; Miller D.; & Moss, N. (2001). The Role of Individual Differences in Internet Searching: an Empirical Study. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 52(12): 1049-1066.
Heinstrom, J. (2000).The Impact of Personality and Approaches to Learning on Information Behavior. Information Research, 5(3). http://informationr.net/ir/5-3/paper78.html (accessed 13 May, 2010).
Kao, Gloria yi ; Ming, p.lei & Sun, c. (2008). Thinking Styles Impacts on Web Search Strategies. Computer in human behavior, 24, pp: 1330-1341.
Kerjcie, robet & Morgan, daryle. )1970(. Determining Sample Size for Research Activities. Educational and psychological measurement, 30, pp: 607-610.
Sternberg, R. J. (1994). Allowing for thinking styles. Educational Leadership. 52(3): 36-40.
Zhang, L. F., & Sternberg, R. J. (2000). Are learning approaches and thinking styles related? A study in two Chinese populations. The journal of personality, 134 (5): 469-489.
CAPTCHA Image