5.2 A Social Constructivist Approach to the Study of Information Use as Discursive Action

5.2 A Social Constructivist Approach to the Study of Information Use as Discursive Action

Kimmo Tuominen and Reijo Savloinen

This article by Touminen and Savloinen discusses the theory of social constructivism and discourse in terms of information use. Social constructivism looks at conversation and everyday communication as information use. Through the conversations we have, we construct a reality to take information from. Through social constraints of what is acceptable and not, as well as true or false, we create a view of the world in which we can exchange information.

Social constructivism didn’t make much sense to me until we talked about it in class. In many ways, it is so theoretical that it is hard to give a practical example to it. If every time we talk to someone, we are exchanging and using information, then much of life is about information behavior. I don’t think we consciously seek information when communicating with other people, at least not every time we communicate. If every conversation is considered information use, then we are unconsciously receiving and passing on information. It makes sense that all forms of communication are information use, but it seems as though there are lots of situations where this kind of information use should not really be looked at in a scholarly manner.

Discourse is supposed to create what we consider objects of knowledge. Through communication, we are supposed to construct a view of the world, but the world still exists outside of our view. We are using communication as a way to understand the world. Within this idea of a constructed view of the world, it seems to imply that everyone’s view is incomplete, that no one can have a full knowledge of the world. I suppose that is correct, but it seems strange that it is inherent in the way we process knowledge.

Although they are different theories, the idea of discourse as information use relates back to Dervin. In her sense-making method, she speaks of every moment being an opportunity for sense making. Therefore, every moment is an opportunity for information use. With the idea of communication as information exchange, it isn’t that every moment is an opportunity, because we are not constantly communicating with other people, but it is very similar. Both of these theories look at information use and seeking as a common occurrence, not just used in a focused research scenario.