Personal Information Categorization: The Rigid, Fuzzy, and Flexible Categorizers

Oh, Kyong Eun; Belkin, Nicholas

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/73717 Copy

Description

Title

Personal Information Categorization: The Rigid, Fuzzy, and Flexible Categorizers

Author(s)

• Oh, Kyong Eun
• Belkin, Nicholas

Issue Date

2015-03-15

Keyword(s)

• human information behavior
• information organization and metadata
• personal informatics

Abstract

This research study investigated and identified different styles of personal information categorization based on three types of mindsets in cognitive sociology. To collect data, a demographic questionnaire, a diary study, and two semi-structured interviews were conducted with each of 18 participants. To analyze data, content analysis of the diary and the interviews were conducted. The results show that there are three different styles of personal information categorization: (1) the rigid categorizer; (2) the fuzzy categorizer; and (3) the flexible categorizer. It is critical to understand different styles of categorization as it is directly related to developing and designing personal information management devices and applications that support personal information organization. The findings from this study also broaden our understanding of categorization, personal information management, and information behavior.

Publisher

iSchools

Series/Report Name or Number

iConference 2015 Proceedings

Type of Resource

text

Language

English

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/73717

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2015 is held by the authors. Copyright permissions, when appropriate, must be obtained directly from the authors.

Owning Collections