A social judgment analysis of information source preference profiles: An exploratory study to empirically represent media selection patterns

Abstract

To better understand how individuals and groups derive satisfaction from information, it is important to identify the information source preferences they apply in information seeking and decision making. Four informal propositions drove the structure and underlying logic of this study, forming a preliminary outline of a theory of information source preference profiles and their influence on information satisfaction. This study employed Social Judgment Analysis (SJA) to identify the information judgment preferences held by professional groups for six selected information sources: word of mouth, expert oral advice, Internet, print news, nonfiction books, and radio/television news. The research was designed as an hypothesis-generating exploratory study employing a purposive sample (n ‫؍‬ 90) and generated four empirically supported, testable hypotheses about user satisfaction with information sources. The SJA judgment functions revealed the influences of volume and polarity (i.e., positive versus negative information) on information satisfaction. By advancing the understanding of how information source preferences can be identified empirically and their influence on information satisfaction, this research reflects a first, small step toward understanding "satisficing." Satisficing behaviors result in early termination of information search processes when individuals, facing incomplete information, are sufficiently satisfied to assume risks and execute decisions.

Toward wellness: Women seeking health information

“…Further study needs to address the determinants of age, ethnicity, education, and varying health qualities on health information seeking. The results of a channel preference study by Stefl-Mabry (2003) compare favorably with the responses to Q3.01. Stefl-Mabry notes the order of channel preference of her professional group sample to be: (1) Expert oral advice (28%), (2) Nonfiction books (23%), (3) Word of mouth (17%), (4) Internet (13%), (5) Print news (10%), and (6) Radio/TV news (9%).…”

The reality of media preferences: Do professional groups vary in awareness?

“…To determine the degree of congruence between individual and group self-awareness profiles of information source preferences and inferred social judgment analysis profiles (judgment policies), the imputed rank orders of the information source profiles determined empirically by the Satisfaction with Information Sources Survey were compared to the direct rank orderings of the information source preferences self-projected by the respondents in section II of the survey (Stefl-Mabry, 2001, 2003. The survey presented respondents the opportunity to "score" a sample of scientifically selected scenarios with predefined values on a set of judgment cues (independent variables or information sources).…”

The use of information sources by internet users in answering questions

“…Case et al (2004) classified sources for genetics information seeking into 15 categories including the Internet or Web, public libraries, doctors, family members, cancer information services, hospital programs, magazines, family and friends, newspapers, local and national TV programming, and so on. Stefl-Mabry (2003) was interested in how people express their satisfaction with the information received and developed a source preference profile with six categories including word of mouth, expert oral advice, Internet, reference books, print news, and radio or TV. Xu, Tan, and Yang (2005) focused on evaluating the cost-benefit aspects of sources based on source quality and accessibility.…”