Collaborative information behaviour––exploring KuhlthauÕs Information Search Process model in a group-based educational setting Jette Hyldega ˚rd * Department of Information Studies, Royal School of Library and Information Science, Birketinget 6, DK-2300 Copenhagen, Denmark Received 16 February 2004; accepted 29 June 2004 Available online 3 September 2004 Abstract Though much information behaviour takes place in collaborative settings, information behaviour processes are com- monly perceived and modelled by information scientists as individual processes. The paper presents and discusses the findings from a qualitative preliminary case study exploring KuhlthauÕs Information Search Process (ISP) model in a group-based educational setting. The aim of the study was to explore if members of a group behave differently from the individual modelled in the ISP model and further, if members of a group demonstrate different behaviours or they will assimilate and turn the group into Ôan individualÕ, just in another sense. During a project assignment, which lasted seven weeks, two groups of information science students filled out a questionnaire and kept diaries of their activities and information-related behaviour. Further, the students were interviewed three times each during the study. It was found that contextual and social factors seem to affect group membersÕ physical activities and their cognitive and emotional experiences during a project assignment with relevance to information behaviour. Though group mem- bers to some extent demonstrated similar cognitive experiences as the individual in the ISP model, these experiences did not only result from information seeking activities but also from work task activities and intragroup interactions. Regarding group membersÕ emotional experiences, no emotional Ôturning pointÕ resulting in certainty and relief by the end of the information seeking process was identified. Further, some of the group members still felt uncertain, frus- trated and disappointed at the end of the project assignment, which partly was associated with a mis-match in motiva- tions, ambitions and project focus among group members. Regarding the intragroup behaviour, group members did not demonstrate similar behaviours, meaning that ÔgroupsÕ cannot be perceived or modelled as Ôan individualÕ, just in another sense. Groups consist of individuals engaged in and affected by a collaborative problem solving process involv- ing information (seeking) behaviour. A natural extension of the ISP model in relation to group processes is suggested, addressing also the impact of social and contextual factors on the individualÕs information behaviour. Ó 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0306-4573/$ - see front matter Ó 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.ipm.2004.06.013 * Tel.: +45 32586066; fax: +45 32840201. E-mail address: jh@db.dk Information Processing and Management 42 (2006) 276–298 www.elsevier.com/locate/infoproman