Cognitive style and on-line database search experience as predictors of Web search performance

• Published in: Journal of the American Society for Information Science Vol. 51; no. 6; pp. 558 - 566
• Main Authors: Palmquist, Ruth A., Kim, Kyung-Sun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York John Wiley & Sons, Inc 2000; American Documentation Institute; Wiley Periodicals Inc
• Subjects: Cognition; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive Style; College Students; Computer Interfaces; Computer System Design; Dependence; Design; Environment; Hypermedia; Individual differences; Information processing; Information Retrieval; Information Science; Information Seeking; Information systems; Library and information science; Library science; Man Machine Systems; Online information services; Peer Acceptance; Predictor Variables; Prior Learning; Problem solving; Resistance (Psychology); Search Strategies; Searches; Searching; Skills; Spatial Ability; Studies; Undergraduate Students; User Training; Users (Information); Webs; Websites; World Wide Web; New York; United States > US
• ISSN: 0002-8231; 2330-1635; 1097-4571; 2330-1643
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4571(2000)51:6<558::AID-ASI7>3.0.CO;2-9

This study sought to investigate the effects of cognitive style (field dependent and field independent) and on‐line database search experience (novice and experienced) on the World Wide Web (WWW) search performance of undergraduate college students (n = 48). It also attempted to find user factors that could be used to predict search efficiency. Search performance, the dependent variable, was defined in two ways: (1) time required for retrieving a relevant information item, and (2) the number of nodes traversed for retrieving a relevant information item. The search tasks required were carried out on a University Web site, and included a factual task and a topical search task of interest to the participant. Results indicated that while cognitive style (FD/FI) significantly influenced the search performance of novice searchers, the influence was greatly reduced in those searchers who had on‐line database search experience. Based on the findings, suggestions for possible changes to the design of the current Web interface and to user training programs are provided.