Finding Joy in Uncertainty

Abstract:Uncertainty is a central concept to library and information science. Its physical manifestation is defined as the amount of entropy or noise in information—an idea whose origins lie in the information theory movement of the post–World War II era. Borrowing from the tenets of information theory, uncertainty is also defined as a cognitive state of uneasiness that is often described in negative terms by information behaviorists. Hence, the reduction of uncertainty is a major goal of information seeking. However, little attention is paid to positive uncertainty in information behavior research, and it may be argued that there are mechanisms or traits that can motivate information seekers to embrace uncertainty and find joy in it. In the age of a global pandemic that has been defined by uncertainty, the call for a positive take on uncertainty is more important than ever. This essay explores the mechanisms of joy in information uncertainty.