TÍTULO DA TESE: A Framework for Empirical Experimentation on Cognitive Biases in Search as Learning.
Abstract: Search systems serve as gateways to acquiring knowledge, playing an integral role in our daily lives. The Search as Learning (SAL) field investigates the synergy between information-seeking and learning processes, recognizing users as learners and emphasizing learning through interaction with system interfaces. However, while this learning approach offers opportunities, it also presents challenges, as decisions made based on acquired knowledge can influence important individual and societal situations. While searching is a mostly invisible activity submerged in our daily lives, and as such is often seen to be a neutral process, in reality, it is value-laden at all levels. The influence of cognitive biases is one of the factors that can distort the way learners interpret and use available information. Ongoing studies somehow, sought to understand how these biases can be identified during the search process. Despite those efforts, the existing literature in this field lacks cohesion, with disparate studies and limited communication between proposals. Empirical experimentation remains confined to isolated platforms, hindering reproducibility and collaborative progress. Furthermore, studies on Cognitive Biases in Search have yet to fully understand the complexity of searches involving learning, outlining a gap in the literature. To address these challenges, we propose a comprehensive framework that integrates research on Cognitive Biases in Search and SAL, introducing the concept of Cognitive Biases in SAL. At the application level, our framework provides a structured approach for researchers to instantiate diverse and standardized experiments in this area. To define the concepts and features of the proposed framework, we conducted thorough literature reviews on both underlying fields. To evaluate our proposal and shed light on the effects of confirmation bias in learning, we conducted a real case study instantiated within our framework. Our contributions include the development of a conceptual framework, an application-level framework for empirical experimentation, and insights from a real experiment on confirmation bias in SAL tasks. Additionally, we offer technical contributions by implementing the framework in a web system and providing a dataset containing search logs from real users. This research aims to advance the body of research on cognitive biases that may influence search and learning outcomes, paving the way for more effective, bias-aware search systems, and enhancing information literacy on a broader scale.
Keywords: Information-Seeking Behavior, Exploratory Search, Critical Learning.
BANCA EXAMINADORA:
Prof. Dr. Sean Wolfgand Matsui Siqueira – UNIRIO (Orientador)
Prof. Dr. Jairo Francisco de Souza – UFJF (Co-Orientador)
Prof. Dr. Simone Bacellar Leal Ferreira – UNIRIO
Prof. Dr. Tadeu Moreira de Classe – UNIRIO
Prof. Dr. José Maria Nazar David – UFJF
Prof. Dr. Victor Stroele de Andrade Menezes – UFJF
DATA/HORA DE DEFESA: 27 de maio de 2024 – 03:00 horas
Local: Online – https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84512263027?pwd=c2GEVFN30ANCxhyur365l6Y0thUsvq.1
