Research on the Relationship Between Information Overload and Academic Information Avoidance among Chinese College Students : The Mediating Effect of Information Anxiety and the Moderating Effect of Information Literacy

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between perceived information overload, academic information avoidance, information anxiety and information literacy, and to verify the mediating effect of information anxiety and the moderating effect of information literacy. For this purpose, 959 college students in Jiangsu Province, China, were taken as the research subjects. Data collection was conducted from April 8th to June 15th, 2024. The specific research findings are as follows: First, the theoretical model developed in this study was validated. The model was developed based on previous research and the model fit is good, with good reliability and validity for each variable. 　　　　 Second, the differential analysis revealed significant differences in information overload, academic information avoidance, information anxiety and information literacy among different genders, grades and education levels, while no significant differences were found among different majors. Third, information overload has a positive effect on academic information avoidance. Both dimensions of information overload, information osmosis and information paralysis, positively affect academic information avoidance. Fourth, information overload positively affects information anxiety. Both dimensions of perceived information overload, information osmosis and information paralysis, positively affect information anxiety. Fifth, information anxiety positively affects academic information avoidance. Adoption strategy anxiety, search information anxiety, filtering information anxiety, processing information anxiety and utilizing information anxiety these five dimensions of information anxiety all positively affect academic information avoidance. Sixth, information anxiety plays a mediating role in the effect of information overload on academic information avoidance. Seventh, information literacy plays a moderating role in the effect of information overload on academic information avoidance. Eighth, information literacy moderates the effect of perceived information overload on information anxiety. Ninth, information literacy moderates the effect of information anxiety on academic information avoidance. The exploration of the relationships between information overload, academic information avoidance, information anxiety, and information literacy among college students in this dissertation offers some guidance for alleviating information overload, overcoming information anxiety, reducing negative information avoidance, increasing information literacy, and improving the efficiency of academic research among college students. Keywords: Information Overload, Academic Information Avoidance, Information Anxiety, Information Literacy

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Ⅰ. Introduction 1
• 1. Research Necessity 1
• 2. Research Purpose 8
• 3. Research Questions 8
• Ⅱ. Theoretical Background 10
• 1. Information Overload 10
• 1) Definition10
• 2) Dimensions14
• 3) Previous Research 16
• 2. Information Avoidance31
• 1) Definition31
• 2) Dimensions36
• 3) Previous Research 39
• 3. Information Anxiety 50
• 1) Definition50
• 2) Dimensions55
• 3) Previous Research 58
• 4. Information Literacy 67
• 1) Definition67
• 2) Dimensions75
• 3) Previous Research 79
• 5. Relationship between variables 89
• 1) Information Overload and Information Avoidance 90
• 2) Information Overload and Information Anxiety93
• 3) Information Anxiety and Information Avoidance95
• 4) The Mediating Effect of Information Anxiety Between 　　
• Information Overload and Information Avoidance98
• 5) The Moderating Effect of Information Literacy among Information
• Overload, Information Anxiety and Information Avoidance 100
• Ⅲ.Research Methods 102
• 1. Research Model and Hypothesis102
• 1) Research Model 102
• 2) Research Hypothesis 103
• 2. Research Participants105
• 3. Research Process 107
• 4. Research Instruments 109
• 1) Perceived Information Overload Scale109
• 2) Academic Information Avoidance Scale110
• 3) Information Anxiety Scale111
• 4) Information Literacy Scale113
• 5. Validity of Scales113
• 6. Data Analysis 126
• Ⅳ. Results128
• 1. Common Method Bias Test128
• 2. Descriptive Statistical Analysis 128
• 3. Difference Analysis130
• 1) Gender 130
• 2) Grade 131
• 3) Major 132
• 4) Education Level 133
• 4. Correlation Analysis 133
• 5. Regression Analysis 137
• 1) Academic Information Avoidance on Information Overload
• and Its Dimensions 137
• 2) Information Anxiety on Information Overload and Its
• Dimensions 138
• 3) Academic Information Avoidance on Information Anxiety
• and Its Dimensions 139
• 6. Measurement Model Analysis 141
• 1) Model Fit141
• 2) Convergent Validity143
• 　3) Discriminant Validity144
• 7. Research Model Analysis 145
• 8. Mediating Model Verification 147
• 1) Direct Effect Analysis 147
• 2) Mediating Effect Analysis148
• 9. Moderating Effect Analysis149
• 10. Research Hypotheses Testing154
• V. Conclusion and Suggestions155
• 1. Summary 155
• 2. Discussion and Conclusion 156
• 3. Limitations and Suggestions 166
• References169
• Appendix. Questionnaire 214
• 국문초록222
• viii