What contextual factors affect information poverty? Evidence from ethnic villages in rural Southwest China

Abstract

To solve the problem of information poverty, it is necessary to understand the factors influencing it. Past studies have examined information poverty from the perspectives of economic poverty and deficiency or deprivation. However, these studies do not fully explain the formulation of information poverty because they may overemphasize the economic and material side of information and neglect the social and communicative aspects. A quantitative study was conducted to examine how contextual factors (i.e., external situations, social relations, individual situations, and social interactions) affected the information poverty of ethnic villages in rural Southwest China. Research results showed that geographic locations, information assets, individual literacy, and individual psychology significantly influenced information poverty. Social norms and beliefs also affected information poverty; however, this influence was insignificant. These findings extend existing studies on information poverty and provide practical guidance for stakeholders (e.g., governments, libraries, and intellectual works) to alleviate information poverty.