Page 164 - JOURNAL OF LIBRARY SCIENCE IN CHINA 2015 Vol. 41

Exploring information divide based on a theoretical

view of information source horizon 1①

2
2 1∗
Wenjie ZHOU , Hui YAN & Shenglong HAN 3
1 Department of Information Management, Bussiness School, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730030, China
2 Department of Information Resources Management, Bussiness School, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
3 Department of Information Management, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China

Abstract
This study sheds light on the information divide based on a theoretical view of Information Source
Horizon proposed by Reijo Savolainen. Through a field study, the subjective factors and objective
factors have been explored. Aiming to understand the differentiation of information richness or poorness
among various people, this paper makes a comparative analysis on the broadness of information
source horizon across different groups divided by demographics. Firstly, information richness is not
only utilizing the socially designed information space adequately, but also brings subjective dynamics
into information practice initiatively. Secondly, people who are unable to get access to these types of
information sources own a relatively high possibility to fall into poor information situations. Thirdly, a
complex relationship is built between the broadness of information source horizon and demographics
of the sample. This study tries to interpret the information divide through a new theoretical perspective,
and thus this endeavor is helpful for deepening of information divide research. The findings of this study
imply new ideas for governance of information poverty. Creative connections between information
source horizon theory and information divide phenomena have been made. Therefore, we contribute a
new exploration and explanation for information divide.

Keywords
Information divide, Information source horizon, Information source preference

0 Introduction

In the context of deepening society informatization, information divide has become a hot topic
among scholars from various fields. Many scholars tried to understand the information divide from
the perspective of information source. However, they stood on different points and interpreted
the relationship between information divide and information source differently. Some found that
social and cultural norms regulated information behavior of special population. Thus, there created
a “small world” (Chatman, 2000) for communication and those people living in the small world

① This article is an outcome of the project “Current situation and policy implication of the information divide among rural residents
in Northwest China” (No. 14XJA870002) supported by the research project of Humanity and Social Science for West and Border
Area Ministry of Education of China and “The evaluation and reflection of digital poverty and public digital cultural policy” (No.
NKZXB1449) supported by Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China.
* Correspondence should be addressed to Wenjie ZHOU, Email: wj_lp@sina.com