All users of information retrieval systems are not created equal: An exploration into individual differences

摘要

User performance on information retrieval (IR) systems, as on other computer-based tasks, is highly variable. After briefly reviewing the characteristics on which IR performance varies, we report on a specific study that sought to identify both technical aptitudes and personality characteristics that were related to academic orientation variables previously found to predict IR performance. We found that academic orientation was related to technical aptitudes as measured by standardized achievement tests and coursework; and that academic orientation was related to some personality characteristics, as measured by standardized tests. The relationships were stronger when only subjects who had remained in one discipline were considered. We also found that these technical aptitudes and personality characteristics are largely independent. Since individual differences in information retrieval are assumed not to be random, we argue that individual characteristics should be described so they can be accommodated through design and training.