Teens' information needs and behavior

"Everyday life" information behavior of teens

Denise E. Agosto and June Abbas (2013), researchers of online information behavior, examined the “everyday life information behavior” of teens. In their research on teen’s information behavior, they found that viewing young people as digital natives may be doing them a disservice (Katie’s lecture, 2017). Instead of designating young people as technological savvy from the start, they call for understanding teens’ information behavior needs and practices within a developmental context (p.67). While technology is a large part of many teens’ everyday lives, their use, skills, and abilities differ.

Information needs & common barriers

Researchers like Agosto and Abbas have identified major information needs that should be addressed when working with a teen population in public libraries. Informed by the teens development and empirical research of teens, they identified seven “selves” that make up teen development. These include:

• Social

• Emotional

• Reflective

• Physical

• Creative

• Cognitive

• Sexual

These different selves reveal both the types of searches teens may engage in as well as the developmental needs that motivate their information behavior. Agosto (2011) also identify some of the barriers that teens face in information seeking practices. Some of these include contextual barriers as well as those put in place by adults, including:

• Negative perceptions of libraries and librarians

• Embarrassment/social unease

• Use restrictions by parents, libraries or schools

• Access issues

Agosto (2011) also explores areas of information practices, including both offline and online information seeking. Her investigations find that teens are : “...increasingly mixing their online and offline lives, seamlessly integrating a range of information technologies into their everyday information practices” (“Young Adult’s Digital Information Practices”). She found a preference for interpersonal sources such as friends or parents and digital sources like websites as the main ways that teens satisfy their information needs. Libraries and librarians were seen as secondary choices.

Health information and teens

Another focus of information behavior research has examined teens’ use of the internet for health-related issues. Wartella et al.’s (2015) report Teens, health and technology: A national survey investigated teens’ practices and satisfaction with health information online. Similar to the findings of Agosto and Abbas, the key sources for health information include interpersonal (parents, school health classes, doctors) and digital sources on the Internet (websites, blogs). Fitness, exercise, diet, nutrition, stress, anxiety, STDS, and depression are common search topics. Yet, few teens reported feeling satisfied with the health information they found online.

The report also highlighted key differences access socioeconomic levels of teens. Those from low income households were significantly more likely to have faced health issues in their family. Additionally, they are least likely to have access to a smartphone or laptop. The findings point to opportunities for youth librarians to address this digital health divide and to help teens’ evaluate the health information they discover online.