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Abstract: Dual-Process Information Seeking of University Students: Understanding the Roles of Intuition and Critical Thinking
The study examines the application of dual-process theory, which highlights the interaction between intuition and critical thinking, to understand university students' information-seeking behaviors as it relates to academic research within their fields of study. By employing a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates an anonymized survey, featuring the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT), with follow-up interviews to evaluate cognitive preferences and biases during the information search process. Preliminary findings from the small-scale study suggest a correlation between CRT scores and students self-perceived preferences in their information-seeking behaviors, emphasizing the roles of intuition and reflective thinking in academic information-seeking behavior of students from a small, private, Christian University. This research aims to enrich existing theories by providing a deeper cognitive perspective and refining survey tools for broader application, addressing a gap in current research.