The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of
verbal and imagery cognitive styles on information searching behavior
of users in using the Web. Applied and mixed method was used in this
study. Forty-four participants, including academic staff from Iranian
universities and research centers were recruited for this study.
Participants’ cognitive style was measured by using Riding Cognitive
Style Analysis test. Two search tasks were designed based on Kim’s
search task definitions. An individual lab session was arranged and then
each participant’s memos were analyzed using a constructive
observation approach. 48 strategies in 4 categories were identified:
search initiation behaviors, formulating search queries, search
conducting behaviors, and information processing behaviors. It was
found that there were relations between users’ cognitive styles and
information searching behavior. The participants varied in their
selection of search initiation behaviors so that imagers suffered from
more varied initial behavior than verbalizers. Verbalizers tended to
search in narrow area then broadening the area and follow structured
conduction and reading behavior to process information, while imagers
tended to search in general area then narrowing down the search and
adopt mix conductional styles and mixed behavior to process
information. Results showed that both descriptively and statistically
there were significant difference between information searching
behavior of imagers and verbalizers, so that verbalizers used more strategies than
imagers. Findings noted that verbalizers spent more time than imagers for
completing tasks, whereas imagers tended to visit more nodes than did the
verbalizers. Significant interaction was found between types of search task in
number of nodes visited and time spent in retrieving information, but statistically
there was no significant difference between cognitive styles, and between types of
search task and cognitive styles in number of nodes visited and time spent in
retrieving information. The study provides new understanding of Web users’
information search behavior based on cognitive styles which contributes to the
theoretical basis of Web search research. It also raises various questions within the
context of user studies. The paper adopted a qualitative approach in the area of
information searching on the Web which is mainly dominated by research
methods.