Overcoming psychological obstacles to optimal online search performance

Abstract

Successful online searching is more than simply a matter of mastering search technique. Emotions, attitudes and environmental factors like stress also play a crucial role in determining whether an online search will be successful or not. Focuses on the important relationship between emotion and cognition, how they affect each other, and what the implications are for online searchers. Investigates how affect and mood influence key cognitive functions and can pose psychological hurdles related to motivation, arousal, attention, concentration, self‐confidence, and self‐efficacy, all of which can be significant factors in determining the effectiveness of a search. Viewing searching behavior as a form of mental and physical performance similar to that of an athlete or performing artist, draws on the growing body of psychological research on performance which suggests that having the proper mindset can make an important difference in whether a searcher is successful.

Citation

Quinn, B. (2003), "Overcoming psychological obstacles to optimal online search performance", The Electronic Library, Vol. 21 No. 2, pp. 142-153. https://doi.org/10.1108/02640470310470516