Undergraduates' information seeking behavior: The role of epistemological development theories and models

Researchers in the discipline of Higher Education have examined philosophical and psychological Literature to develop epistemological development theories and models. They are primarily interested in understanding: "how individuals come to know, the theories and beliefs they hold about knowing, and the manner in which such epistemological premises are a part of and an influence on the cognitive processes of thinking and reasoning" (Hofer & Pintrinch, 1997). I propose to develop a theoretical framework for undergraduates' information seeking behavior based upon the insights into their knowledge construction offered through these models and theories of epistemological development. Epistemology is defined as "the philosophical study of the nature, sources, and limits of knowledge" (Moser, Mulder, BL Trout, 1998). I will focus my paper on four major theories and models of undergraduates' epistemological development. I will present a new model of information seeking behavior incorporating these theories and models about how undergraduates construct knowledge and the consequent influence on their information seeking behavior.