IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ehl/lserod/59704.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The relationship between information processing style and information seeking, and its moderation by affect and perceived usefulness: analysis vs. procrastination

Author

Listed:
  • Soane, Emma
  • Schubert, Iljana
  • Lunn, Rebecca
  • Pollard, Simon

Abstract

We examined the relationship between information processing style and information seeking, and its moderation by anxiety and information utility. Information about Salmonella, a potentially commonplace disease, was presented to 2960 adults. Two types of information processing were examined: preferences for analytical or heuristic processing, and preferences for immediate or delayed processing. Information seeking was captured by measuring the number of additional pieces of information sought by participants. Preferences for analytical information processing were associated positively and directly with information seeking. Heuristic information processing was associated negatively and directly with information seeking. The positive relationship between preferences for delayed decision making and information seeking was moderated by anxiety and by information utility. Anxiety reduced the tendency to seek additional information. Information utility increased the likelihood of information seeking. The findings indicate that low levels of anxiety could prompt information seeking. However, information seeking occurred even when information was perceived as useful and sufficient, suggesting that it can be a form of procrastination rather than a useful contribution to effective decision making.

Suggested Citation

  • Soane, Emma & Schubert, Iljana & Lunn, Rebecca & Pollard, Simon, 2015. "The relationship between information processing style and information seeking, and its moderation by affect and perceived usefulness: analysis vs. procrastination," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 59704, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
  • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:59704
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/59704/
    File Function: Open access version.
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jay D. Hmielowski & Meredith Y. Wang & Rebecca R. Donaway, 2018. "Expanding the Political Philosophy Dimension of the RISP Model: Examining the Conditional Indirect Effects of Cultural Cognition," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(9), pages 1891-1903, September.
    2. Shabnam Hamdi & Abu Daud Silong & Zoharah Binti Omar & Roziah Mohd Rasdi, 2016. "Impact of T-shaped skill and top management support on innovation speed; the moderating role of technology uncertainty," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 1153768-115, December.
    3. Haitham Medhat Abdelaziz Elsayed Aboulilah & Syed Far Abid Hossain & Bui Nhat Vuong & Tawfiq Jebril, 2022. "Exploring the Relationship between WeChat Usage and E-purchase Intention During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among University Students in China," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(4), pages 21582440221, November.
    4. Haans, Richard F.J. & van Witteloostuijn, Arjen, 2024. "Does foreign language liberate or limit creativity? Three experiments on foreign language anxiety and use, and divergent and convergent thinking," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(4).
    5. Lu, Hang & Song, Hwanseok & McComas, Katherine, 2021. "Seeking information about enhanced geothermal systems: The role of fairness, uncertainty, systematic processing, and information engagement intentions," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 855-864.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    decision making; dual process theory; information processing; information seeking; RISP theory;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:59704. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: LSERO Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/lsepsuk.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.