Abstract:
Information overload can mean several things. The online encyclopedia Wikipedia defines it as "having too much information to make a decision." Nelson (1994) defines it as "the inability to extract needed knowledge from an immense quantity of information." Allen and Wilson (2003) explain that it is "a perception on the part of the individual that the flows of information associated with work tasks is greater than can be managed effectively." In these three definitions alone, we see that information overload can be "too much information," "the inability to extract," and "a perception." Butcher (Edmunds and Morris, 2000) added another definition - "burdened with a large supply of unsolicited information, some of which may be relevant." Now, information overload becomes a "burden."