Exploring the Effects of Searcher-Social Source Relationship When Seeking Information Online

Finding information has become an essential skill in daily life, and people often turn to other people for assistance in finding information. This research study explores the effects of social source composition when seeking information online, and the decision process on selecting social sources, a human information source used by a searcher to help with an information need that may affect the search process, to collaborate with when searching. One-on-one interviews with graduate students were conducted and common characteristics and themes emerged. Effect on the information need and the search process caused by the relationship between the searcher and social sources were observed. The factors of trust, familiarity, and authority in the social source impacted the information seeking process in areas of communication, information sharing, and information need. Despite the observed effects of searcher-social source relationship, success in satisfying an information need appears unaffected by relationship