ISMIE: A Framework to Characterize Information Seeking in Modern Information Environments

Fuente: arXiv
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Hauptverfasser: Sun, Shuoqi, Hettiachchi, Danula, Spina, Damiano
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2025
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author Sun, Shuoqi
Hettiachchi, Danula
Spina, Damiano
author_facet Sun, Shuoqi
Hettiachchi, Danula
Spina, Damiano
contents The modern information environment (MIE) is increasingly complex, shaped by a wide range of techniques designed to satisfy users' information needs. Information seeking (IS) models are effective mechanisms for characterizing user-system interactions. However, conceptualizing a model that fully captures the MIE landscape poses a challenge. We argue: Does such a model exist? To address this, we propose the Information Seeking in Modern Information Environments (ISMIE) framework as a fundamental step. ISMIE conceptualizes the information seeking process (ISP) via three key concepts: Components (e.g., Information Seeker), Intervening Variables (e.g., Interactive Variables), and Activities (e.g., Acquiring). Using ISMIE's concepts and employing a case study based on a common scenario - misinformation dissemination - we analyze six existing IS and information retrieval (IR) models to illustrate their limitations and the necessity of ISMIE. We then show how ISMIE serves as an actionable framework for both characterization and experimental design. We characterize three pressing issues and then outline two research blueprints: a user-centric, industry-driven experimental design for the authenticity and trust crisis to AI-generated content and a system-oriented, academic-driven design for tackling dopamine-driven content consumption. Our framework offers a foundation for developing IS and IR models to advance knowledge on understanding human interactions and system design in MIEs.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_07644
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle ISMIE: A Framework to Characterize Information Seeking in Modern Information Environments
Sun, Shuoqi
Hettiachchi, Danula
Spina, Damiano
Information Retrieval
The modern information environment (MIE) is increasingly complex, shaped by a wide range of techniques designed to satisfy users' information needs. Information seeking (IS) models are effective mechanisms for characterizing user-system interactions. However, conceptualizing a model that fully captures the MIE landscape poses a challenge. We argue: Does such a model exist? To address this, we propose the Information Seeking in Modern Information Environments (ISMIE) framework as a fundamental step. ISMIE conceptualizes the information seeking process (ISP) via three key concepts: Components (e.g., Information Seeker), Intervening Variables (e.g., Interactive Variables), and Activities (e.g., Acquiring). Using ISMIE's concepts and employing a case study based on a common scenario - misinformation dissemination - we analyze six existing IS and information retrieval (IR) models to illustrate their limitations and the necessity of ISMIE. We then show how ISMIE serves as an actionable framework for both characterization and experimental design. We characterize three pressing issues and then outline two research blueprints: a user-centric, industry-driven experimental design for the authenticity and trust crisis to AI-generated content and a system-oriented, academic-driven design for tackling dopamine-driven content consumption. Our framework offers a foundation for developing IS and IR models to advance knowledge on understanding human interactions and system design in MIEs.
title ISMIE: A Framework to Characterize Information Seeking in Modern Information Environments
topic Information Retrieval
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.07644