The Paradoxical World of Young People's Information Behavior

Abstract

Although thousands of articles about information behavior have been published in recent years, little attention has been given to the paradoxes that emerge in terms of either the features of such behavior or the investigation of it through research. This article draws on a wide range of studies, many conducted by the author, to explore 10 particular paradoxes that are apparent in the information behavior of children and young people. Several indicate discrepancies between theory and practice, whereas others show that when some priorities are addressed, other areas of concern may suffer.