Information-Seeking Behavior of Clergy: The Research, the Results, and the Future

Abstract

This article examines information-seeking studies carried out on the professional roles of the clergy, their use of information resources, the place of the Internet in their information-seeking behavior, and the amount of studies conducted on the clergy across different religions. Results show significant relationship between clergy's doctrinal position and their information-seeking behavior, which changes with work roles of the clergy. The clergy use both formal and informal sources depending on the particular work role they assume. However, not many models of information-seeking behavior have been tested in studies of religious professionals. This article argues that most previous studies of the information-seeking behavior of clergy resulted in similar findings because the areas of focus have been limited in scope. Hence, there is a need to look at the issue from different perspectives using diverse methods and contexts to broaden the understanding of the clergy and their information-seeking habits. This article points out areas for further research with recommendations of suitable theoretical frameworks, which, if applied or tested in information-seeking research with religious clergy, will add value to the understanding of this issue.

KEYWORDS:

• information-seeking behavior
• literature review
• religious professionals
• clergy