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The Determinants of Information-Seeking Behavior Regarding Burglary and the Information Channels Used

Hackmann, S. (2016) The Determinants of Information-Seeking Behavior Regarding Burglary and the Information Channels Used.

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Abstract:This research was aimed at gaining insight into people’s information-seeking behavior regarding the individual risk of burglary. In order to achieve that, the determinants of risk information-seeking behavior were examined and the role of the new media, especially the Internet, was investigated. Based on the Framework of Risk Information-Seeking (FRIS), the determinants risk perception, personal involvement and self-efficacy were chosen. In addition, further literature review resulted in including response efficacy as a fourth determinant. Furthermore, some interactive relations between those constructs and information-seeking behavior were investigated. By means of an online survey consisting of already existing scales, the hypotheses were tested. This analysis revealed that there was a significant predictive effect of personal involvement and response efficacy on information-seeking behavior. Furthermore, the results showed that the participants would use the Internet significantly more often than all other information channels such as newspapers or television. However, the research revealed nonsignificant main effects of risk perception, self-efficacy and a nonsignificant interaction effect of response efficacy and risk perception on information-seeking behavior. Moreover, the proposed mediation effect of self-efficacy on the relation between personal involvement and information-seeking behavior was not significant either. Finally, there was no significantly higher rate of self-efficacy in the group that uses the Internet most often than in the other groups. However, the research revealed some practical implications. As it showed that most participants would use the Internet most often as a risk information channel it supports the police and other official institutions in their effort of informing people via the Internet. This was also perceived to be effective by the participants. Furthermore, the high average rate of self-efficacy showed that the participants perceived themselves to be able to handle the risks of burglary adequately. This would fit the shift of responsibility of the government to individuals very well. However, this was a personal estimation and might therefore not be highly reliable. Thus, it is important to further explore this. Furthermore, with some changes such as measuring actual self-efficacy and information-seeking behavior, this study could be reproduced to gain even more insight in people’s information-seeking behavior.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:77 psychology
Programme:Psychology BSc (56604)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/69862
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