Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 18, 2026

From Affective Satisfaction to Habit: Reinforcement Dynamics in Short-Form Drama Engagement
Published on: August 4, 2026
Theories for practitioners: two frameworks for studying consumer health information-seeking behavior
1Wayne State University, Library and Information Science Program, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA.
Abstract:
Consumer health information studies in library and information science (LIS) are typically not grounded within a theoretical framework. This article explains the importance of theory to LIS research in general, and the specific value of using theories from other disciplines to study consumers' health information-seeking behavior. The argument is supported with two examples: Miller's psychological theory of blunting and monitoring behavior and Granovetter's sociological theory of the strength of weak ties. These theories can be applied by practitioner-researchers to investigate a variety of research problems.
Related Concept Videos
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention I
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...
Concepts of Health and Illness
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention II
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results from...
Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Practice
Theories provide a perspective to assess patients' conditions and organize data and methods. They also assist in analyzing and interpreting information. They represent a...
Humanistic Psychology
This approach...
Social Proof