The objective of this article is to contribute to a deeper understanding of how user information behaviour studies have been dealt with in literature on information science for the last six decades. The analysis is based on the reviews published in the journal Annual Review of Information Science and Technology (Arist), as well as on additional works that complement the topic approached showing its theoretical and methodological evolution. analyses. A crucial difference identified is related to the conceptual change occurred, showing a wider epistemological view of the studies. This change, on the other hand, is referred mainly to the terminology used to define the topic, which is changed from "studies of users" or "needs and use of information" to informational behavior of users". The change, however, is not only terminological but also a paradigmatic change, as a result of transformation in how the topic is defined and approached, as well as how the research is carried out.
Information behaviour; User studies; Information needs and use; Paradigmatic evolution