Abstract: Seven studies examined whether people are more likely to avoid learning potentially threatening information when they lack the resources necessary to manage the threat. Studies 1 through 3 demonstrated that individual differences in personal (i.e., coping) and interpersonal (i.e., social support) resources predicted health information avoidance. Studies 4 through 7 examined whether manipulating the tradeoff between the resources available and the resources required to manage threat influenced avoidance. Study 4 provided no evidence that influencing people's perceptions of their own resources influenced avoidance. Study 5 demonstrated that people were more likely to avoid information after being socially excluded. Study 6 demonstrated that people were less likely to avoid information when they focused on their personal values (i.e., they were affirmed). Finally, in Study 7 affirmation eliminated the effect of exclusion on avoidance. Together these studies provide initial support for the role of personal and interpersonal resources in information avoidance.
M.Inf. The research study investigates the importance of information as a resource in academic institutions. The study serves to answer questions appertaining to management of information as a resource, such as, what is information resource management? How should information as a resource be...
This qualitative study views international students as information-using learners, through an information literacy lens. Focusing on the experiences of 25 international students at two Australian universities, the study investigates how international students use online information resources to...