TY - GEN
T1 - Adaptive information search
T2 - 27th International Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2009
AU - Chin, Jessie
AU - Fu, Wai Tat
AU - Kannampallil, Thomas
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - Previous research has shown that older adults performed worse in web search tasks, and attributed poorer performance to a decline in their cognitive abilities. We conducted a study involving younger and older adults to compare their web search behavior and performance in ill- defined and well-defined information tasks using a health information website. In ill-defined tasks, only a general description about information needs was given, while in well-defined tasks, information needs as well as the specific target information were given. We found that older adults performed worse than younger adults in well-defined tasks, but the reverse was true in ill-defined tasks. Older adults compensated for their lower cognitive abilities by adopting a top-down knowledge-driven strategy to achieve the same level of performance in the ill-defined tasks. Indeed, path models showed that cognitive abilities, health literacy, and knowledge influenced search strategies adopted by older and younger adults. Design implications arc also discussed.
AB - Previous research has shown that older adults performed worse in web search tasks, and attributed poorer performance to a decline in their cognitive abilities. We conducted a study involving younger and older adults to compare their web search behavior and performance in ill- defined and well-defined information tasks using a health information website. In ill-defined tasks, only a general description about information needs was given, while in well-defined tasks, information needs as well as the specific target information were given. We found that older adults performed worse than younger adults in well-defined tasks, but the reverse was true in ill-defined tasks. Older adults compensated for their lower cognitive abilities by adopting a top-down knowledge-driven strategy to achieve the same level of performance in the ill-defined tasks. Indeed, path models showed that cognitive abilities, health literacy, and knowledge influenced search strategies adopted by older and younger adults. Design implications arc also discussed.
KW - Age differences
KW - And health literacy
KW - Cognitive abilities
KW - Cost-benefit analysis
KW - Ill-defined task
KW - Search strategies
KW - Web search
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84892458148&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1145/1518701.1518961
DO - 10.1145/1518701.1518961
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84892458148
SN - 9781605582474
T3 - Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings
SP - 1683
EP - 1692
BT - CHI 2009
Y2 - 4 April 2009 through 9 April 2009
ER -