Analysis of information behavior paradigms: past and present

Information behavior in knowledge and information science is seen as a fundamental human behavior that has been studied extensively thus far. This study include different approaches and perspectives that examined information behavior. The purpose of this article is to investigate the paradigm shift in information behavior by using the texts of this research ground.

The study was directed via library method with an analytical approach. After reviewing previous studies with the intention of identifying the dominant paradigms of information behavior.

Findings show that information behavior studies fell into two main paradigms of old and new. The old paradigm focuses on Shannonchr('39')s theories of information, and the new paradigm emphasizes interdisciplinary relationships. In the new paradigm, cognitive, sociological, and multifaceted approaches could be defined.

Information behavior is an innate behavior that occurs in the social environment. It is influenced by various factors. like many human characteristics, is a behavior that does not occur in a vacuum. This behavior can be defined in interaction with information, human beings and society. Thus, it can have a wide and multifaceted aspects. This behavior is also a division of social sciences that can be examined under different paradigms. In social sciences, unlike natural sciences many meta-theories may go hand in hand. Sometimes a meta-theory simply disappears, and other times it may grow, evolve, and rekindle the interests of researchers. So, the evolution of information behavior research shows the combination of disciplines and interdisciplinary theories and new relationships in understanding human information behavior.