Tailoring and the Efficiency of Information Seeking

Foraging extends beyond food: Hoarding of mental energy and information seeking in response to uncertainty

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x18001838 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

Author(s):

Jessica L. Alquist ◽

Roy F. Baumeister

Keyword(s):

Information Seeking ◽

Potential Outcomes ◽

Food Hoarding

AbstractWhen an environment is uncertain, humans and other animals benefit from preparing for and attempting to predict potential outcomes. People respond to uncertainty both by conserving mental energy on tasks unrelated to the source of the uncertainty and by increasing their attentiveness to information related to the uncertainty. This mental hoarding and foraging allow people to prepare in uncertain situations.

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A Simulated Measure of Adolescent Career Information-Seeking Behavior

Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development ◽

10.1080/07481756.1984.12022743 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 32-39 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

David A. Jepsen ◽

Richard Dustin

Keyword(s):

Information Seeking ◽

Information Seeking Behavior ◽

Career Information ◽

Seeking Behavior

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Information-Seeking on the Internet

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000307 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 36 (3) ◽

pp. 211-219 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Vinod Singaravelu ◽

Anne Stewart ◽

Joanna Adams ◽

Sue Simkin ◽

Keith Hawton

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Young People ◽

Information Seeking ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

The Internet ◽

Search Terms ◽

Specific Advice ◽

Restriction Sites ◽

Self Harm ◽

Negative Tone

Abstract. Background: The Internet is used by young people at risk of self-harm to communicate, find information, and obtain support. Aims: We aimed to identify and analyze websites potentially accessed by these young people. Method: Six search terms, relating to self-harm/suicide and depression, were input into four search engines. Websites were analyzed for access, content/purpose, and tone. Results: In all, 314 websites were included in the analysis. Most could be accessed without restriction. Sites accessed by self-harm/suicide search terms were mostly positive or preventive in tone, whereas sites accessed by the term ways to kill yourself tended to have a negative tone. Information about self-harm methods was common with specific advice on how to self-harm in 15.8% of sites, encouragement of self-harm in 7.0%, and evocative images of self-harm/suicide in 20.7%. Advice on how to get help was given in 56.1% of sites. Conclusion: Websites relating to suicide or self-harm are easily accessed. Many sites are potentially helpful. However, a significant proportion of sites are potentially harmful through normalizing or encouraging self-harm. Enquiry regarding Internet use should be routinely included while assessing young people at risk.

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The Impact of a Highly Publicized Celebrity Suicide on Suicide-Related Online Information Seeking

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000455 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 38 (3) ◽

pp. 207-209 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Florian Arendt ◽

Sebastian Scherr

Keyword(s):

Suicide Prevention ◽

Information Seeking ◽

The Internet ◽

Online Information ◽

Search Queries ◽

Related Information ◽

Search Terms ◽

Celebrity Suicide ◽

Online Information Seeking ◽

The Impact

Abstract. Background: Research has already acknowledged the importance of the Internet in suicide prevention as search engines such as Google are increasingly used in seeking both helpful and harmful suicide-related information. Aims: We aimed to assess the impact of a highly publicized suicide by a Hollywood actor on suicide-related online information seeking. Method: We tested the impact of the highly publicized suicide of Robin Williams on volumes of suicide-related search queries. Results: Both harmful and helpful search terms increased immediately after the actor's suicide, with a substantial jump of harmful queries. Limitations: The study has limitations (e.g., possible validity threats of the query share measure, use of ambiguous search terms). Conclusion: Online suicide prevention efforts should try to increase online users' awareness of and motivation to seek help, for which Google's own helpline box could play an even more crucial role in the future.

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