The role of individual differences in Internet searching: An empirical study

This article reports the results of a study of the role of individual diffe rences in Internet searching. The dimensions of individual differences form ing the focus of the research consisted of: cognitive styles; levels of pri or experience; Internet perceptions; study approaches; age; and gender. Six ty-nine Masters students searched for information on a prescribed topic usi ng the AltaVista search engine. Results were assessed using simple binary r elevance judgements. Factor analysis and multiple regression revealed inter esting differences, retrieval effectiveness being linked to: male gender, l ow cognitive complexity; an imager (as opposed to verbalizer) cognitive sty le; and a number of Internet perceptions and study approaches grouped here as indicating low self-efficacy. The implications of these findings for sys tem development and for future research are discussed.