Information Insufficiency and Information Seeking: An Experiment

Abstract

The risk information seeking and processing model predicts information-seeking behavior based on a number of factors, including information insufficiency. Using the risk information seeking and processing model, the present study experimentally manipulated the two components of information insufficiency (i.e., sufficiency threshold and current knowledge). Sufficiency threshold was manipulated using information about radon risk with varying levels of social distance, whereas current knowledge was manipulated using information about radon coping strategies. Results showed that the high sufficiency threshold condition resulted in greater information seeking intention. On the other hand, the current knowledge manipulation did not affect information seeking intention.