Elaborating the motivational attributes of information need and uncertainty

Introduction. The study contributes to the conceptual investigation of the motivators for information seeking. The issue is examined by drawing on the ideas of the expectancy-value theory, which is a major psychological approach to motivation. Method. A conceptual analysis was made by focusing on how the cognitive and affective motivational attributes of the constructs of information need and uncertainty have been approached in information seeking studies. The analysis of the cognitive attribute centres on the abilities and goals of the information seeker, while the study of the affective attribute examines how the actor feels about the information-seeking task. Results. Researchers have approached the cognitive motivational attribute of information need in terms of inappropriate knowledge structure, while the affective attribute has not been specified sufficiently. The construct of uncertainty provides a more balanced picture in that it also characterises the affective attribute by discussing the motivational role of negatively coloured emotions such as anxiety. Conclusions. From the perspective of the expectancy-value theory, the constructs of information need and uncertainty only partially explain why people engage in information seeking. Therefore, neither information need nor uncertainty can be regarded as fully-fledged motivational constructs.