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• Non-directed monitoring, which involves
encountering a source e.g. finding a book on sale.
serendipitously
• By proxy, which refers to those occasions when one interacts with a
source of information through the initiative of another agent. According to
Mackenzie (2002:27), this mode of practice does not correspond with any of
Choo et ai's or Wilson's (1997) categories.
Despite this, Wilson's second model (devised in 1981 on information seeking
behaviour) has its strengths, in that it proposes that the information needs
of individuals are affected by different work roles, and that personal traits
may inhibit or assist information seeking (Wilson, 1999:253). In this format,
the model may be regarded as a source of hypotheses. According to the
author, the weakness in the model lies in the fact that it lacks indication of
the processes whereby context has its effect upon the person, nor of
whether impediments have any effect upon the motivation of individuals to
seek information.
In conclusion, this study is in favour of Wilsons (1999) second model on
information seeking behaviour which is based upon the proposition that
information need is not a primary need, but a secondary need that arises out
of needs of a more basic kind (i.e. physiological, cognitive or affective) This
view is confirmed by empirical results from this study, (see chapter 7.4)
which indicate that most rural women seek information passiveiy and do not
necessarily go to formal institutions in search of information. Most rural
women prefer to talk to friends and neighbours, or for that matter, listen to
the radio when in search of information. For instance, in an effort to meet
the physiological need for her ailing child, the rural woman is likely to face
barriers such as high costs, distance, and time amongst other problems.
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