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Dissertation Information for Linda Lederman

NAME:
- Linda Lederman

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- Rutgers University (USA) (1979)

ADVISORS:
- Thomas H. Mott Jr.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Ernest Deprospo
- Douglas H. Jones
- Richard W. Budd
- Brent D. Ruben

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION AND THE ACQUISITION OF INFORMATION IN THE ACADEMIC LIBRARY

Abstract: This study was designed to test the assumption that a relationship would exist between the way a person feels about engaging another person in oral communications (Communication Apprehension) and the choice to search an academic library by asking for assistance from library personnel. The overriding concern of the research was whether or not such a relationship existed and if so whether or not it would be an explanatory value in terms of differences in search strategies among library users with different levels of Communication Apprehension (CA).

To explore the question, a three phase exploratory field study was created in which respondents were measured for CA and then either placed in a library search situation and/or asked to self-report library search strategies. Library search was operationally defined as the steps taken in a search for information in a library, the number of steps, and the length of time of the steps and search in toto.

The first phase of the study was strictly observational, and twenty-four respondents at different levels of CA were placed in a search situation where their behaviors were observed, recorded, and analyzed in comparison with their levels of CA. The preliminary results of this phase indicated no relationships of significance between CA level and any of the search behaviors. This led to Phase Two in which the observational component was replicated and additionally all respondents were given an aided-recall questionnaire immediately after completing the library search.

The results of the second phase also indicated no relationships of significance between CA and library search, even when factors such as library use and familiarity were controlled for. This led to the third and final phase of data collection in which a larger sample was measured on CA and then asked to self-report library search strategy. in Phase Three the findings replicated those of the earlier phases in failing to unearth any significant relationship between CA and library search. The results of the study were that the phases taken individually and together indicated that no relationship of significance exists between a person's level of CA and this search for information as operationally defined in the study. The results indicated that the assumption that there would be a relationship failed to hold, and that library users irrespective of level of CA were equally likely to approach librarians for assistance in searching an academic library for information.

MPACT Scores for Linda Lederman

A = 2
C = 8
A+C = 10
T = 2
G = 1
W = 2
TD = 2
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:09:29

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