Personality Traits and Group-Based Information Behaviour: An Exploratory Study.

Abstract

Introduction. The relationship between hypothesised behaviour resulting from a personality test and actual information behaviour resulting from a group-based assignment process is addressed in this paper. Methods. Three voluntary groups of ten librarianship and information science students were followed during a project assignment. The long version of the commonly-used NEO-PI-R test instrument was employed to describe and compare each group member's personality traits at a more detailed level. Data were also collected through a process survey, a diary and an interview. Analysis. The calculation of data from the personality test resulted in various T-scores on personality factors and facets for each group member. Data from the demographic survey and the process surveys were calculated in Excel, while data from diaries and interviews were coded in the analytical data software Atlas.ti. Results. Information behaviour associated with personality traits was identified, but the presence of personality effects tended to vary with the perceived presence of the social context. Conclusions. Some matches were identified between group members' personality traits and their actual information behaviour but there were also deviations, which were found that seemed to be related to the group-work context. The importance of studying personality traits in context has further been confirmed.

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