A systematic review of information practices research
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-02-2022-0044 |
| Published date | 17 June 2022 |
| Date | 17 June 2022 |
| Pages | 245-267 |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Records management & preservation,Document management,Classification & cataloguing,Information behaviour & retrieval,Collection building & management,Scholarly communications/publishing,Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance,Information management,Information & communications technology,Internet |
| Author | Huan Zhong,Zhengbiao Han,Preben Hansen |
A systematic review of information
practices research
Huan Zhong and Zhengbiao Han
College of Information Management, Nanjing Agricultural University,
Nanjing, China, and
Preben Hansen
Department of Computer and Systems Sciences, Stockholm University,
Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract
Purpose –This systematic literature review aims to elaborate the research progress of information practices
to help other researchers attain a more holistic and comprehensive understanding of the field.
Design/methodology/approach –Following a systematic review protocol, 123 research articles from nine
academic databases were included in the analysis.
Findings –Four separate results can be outlined. First, practice theory, social constructionist theory and
activity theory are often used as the theoretical basis for thestudy of information practices. Second, people will
engage in specific information practice activities in different external and internal contexts. The external
contexts include social and needs contexts. The internal contexts include information source horizons, user’s
affection and user’s cognition. Third, the existing information practice models can be divided into static and
dynamic types. These models mainly reflected activities and influencing factors of information practices.
Fourth, qualitative methods were the most used in information practice research.
Research limitations/implications –The field of information practices is a vast, expanding research field.
This research will focus only on a specific section, namely concepts, activities, contexts and models.
Researchers could contribute to exploring the concepts,components and mechanisms of information practices
by combining theories from various disciplines, such as sociology and behavioral science.
Originality/value –This is the first study to reveal the general picture of information practices. It also
elaborates the characteristics of people’s information practices and shows the potential development direction
for future research.
Keywords Information practices, Systematic reviews, Contexts, Qualitative research,
Information practice models
Paper type Literature review
1. Introduction
In library and information science (LIS), “information behavior”and “information practices”
are often used to describe how users process information. Although these terms can be used
to characterize the range of information activities that people undertake, there are
fundamental differences according to the perspective of the study (Savolainen, 2007a).
Information practices are based on social constructivism, which emphasizes the social
dimension of people’s information actions and aims to discover their social context and
multiple factors that influence them (Savolainen, 2008). However, based on and starting from
human cognition, information behavior pays more attention to individual cognition (Kaitlin
and Diana, 2021), whose research methodology is mainly based on cognitive constructivism
(Carey et al., 2001;Savolainen, 1995b). These two different discursive approaches reflect
different research features. The study of information behavior hinges on individualistic
notions, implying that individual rational actors actively pursue existent cognitive needs.
This reflects that information behavior relies on psychological theories rather than sociology
Information
practices
research
245
Funding: This work was jointly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
(No. 71904086).
Received 18 February 2022
Revised 30 April 2022
23 May 2022
Accepted 25 May 2022
Journal of Documentation
Vol. 79 No. 1, 2023
pp. 245-267
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0022-0418
DOI 10.1108/JD-02-2022-0044
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/0022-0418.htm
or anthropology (Cox, 2012;Lloyd and Olsson, 2017;Savolainen, 2007a). Meanwhile,
information practices highlight the social structure of the user’s information activities and
provide a stronger explanation of the everyday phenomena. Furthermore, it is more relevant
in describing people’s information activities in their daily lives because it can depict the
information world as constructed by the interaction of individuals and their socio-cultural
background (Savolainen et al., 2009). However, it is worth noting that information practices
does not exclude users’cognition, which considers cognition factors macroscopically and
does not explore cognition occurrence and changes in detail (Savolainen, 2007a).
The research on information practices is moving forward. However, when compared with
the amount of research on information behavior, it still receives lesser attention. In addition,
previous some studies have not made a strict distinction between “information behavior”and
“information practices”(Savolainen, 2008). The connotation of information practices has been
elaborated by scholars in terms of origin, contextual features, activities and methodology
(Agosto, 2018;Bronstein and Solomon, 2021;Jarrahi and Thomson, 2017;Savolainen, 2008;
Talja and McKenzie, 2007). However, researchers have not reached a consensus about the
notion of information practices. Current research still lacks an elaboration of the connotation
of information practices.
Previous information practice studies have produced several results in terms of the
theoretical foundations, research models and information practices of different research
groups (Bystr€
om and Lloyd, 2012;Greyson, 2016;Harlan et al., 2014;Li, 2021;Savolainen,
2008). Existing studies have focused on describing people’s information practice activities,
presenting the information practice activities of different groups in specific contexts and
interpreting the motivations and influencing factors behind them. However, these studies
mainly focus on a specific population, making it impossible for other researchers to have a
more comprehensive and holistic understanding of the progress of information practices
research. Until now, no review of the research field of information practices has been
undertaken. This paper reviews the achievements of information practices research through
a systematic literature review to investigate the general situation of information practices
research and help researchers gain a clearer understanding and appreciation of information
practices.
2. The boundary of the information practice field
Clarifying the concept and boundary of information practice is crucial for systematically
reviewing itsresearch progress. From the perspective of origin, Bronstein and Solomon (2021)
hold that, “the conceptof information practice comesfrom Schatzki’s practice theory, wherein
the basic unit of activity is defined as “doings and sayings”within a community of practice.”
Morespecifically, these practicesare primarily seenas recurrent, routinizedand collective types
of conduct, progressively creating social order due to their repetitive and stable nature. This
alsohighlights the role of informationpractice activitiesin constitutingcommunities of practice
(Huizing and Cavanagh, 2011). McKenzie (2003) noted that information practices research
emphasizes the socialnature of information interaction. In Talja andMcKenzie’s (2007) view,
informationpractice highlights theinterplay between user’s choiceand social background and
the embeddedness of information-related actions. These perspectives emphasize that
information practice is formed by the dynamic interaction between people and society. This
means that it is rootedin practice and social constructivism. Cox (2012) alsoindicates that all
social practices involve the use, creation and seeking of information, but this does not make
them information practices, as only a few practices are specifically information-oriented.
Savolainen (2007a) provided a clear perspective on information behavior and information
practicesresearch, clarifyingthe meaning of the latter. He proposedthat information practiceis
the way people generate, use and disseminate information in a particular social background.
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