Exploring social aspects of task perception using cognitive sociology
Aslib Journal of Information Management
ISSN: 2050-3806
Article publication date: 23 July 2020
Issue publication date: 12 November 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore effects of individuals' social context on their perception of a task, for better understanding of social aspects of task-based information seeking behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
This study took a qualitative case approach and conducted semi-structured one-on-one interviews with 12 participants. A cross-context comparative approach was chosen to identify effects of the social contexts on individuals. For comparative analysis, the research population was tenured faculty members in two different disciplines, natural sciences and humanities. The interview data were analyzed and coded using NVivo12 through an open coding process.
Findings
The results demonstrate that the same task type is differently perceived by individuals in different social contexts. Reasons for the different perceptions in the different contexts are associated with social factors of the disciplines, specifically social norms and practices.
Originality/value
This study uses a novel theoretical framework, cognitive sociology, to examine social aspects of human perception in relation to task-based information seeking behavior, which has been little understood theoretically and empirically in the field of information science.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The research reported here was supported by grants from the SC&I PhD program in Communication, Information and Media and the department of Library and Information Science at Rutgers University.
Citation
Rha, E.Y. and Belkin, N. (2020), "Exploring social aspects of task perception using cognitive sociology", Aslib Journal of Information Management, Vol. 72 No. 4, pp. 525-543. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-11-2019-0323
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited