# How to deal with future uncertainty? An empirical study of undergraduates based on the theory of motivation information management

## TL;DR

This study explores how undergraduates manage information about future career and education choices, using a theory of motivation to understand their decision-making in uncertain situations.

## Contribution

The study applies the Theory of Motivated Information Management (TMIM) to college graduation anxiety, filling a gap in its use for this specific context.

## Key findings

- The TMIM framework effectively predicts undergraduates' information-seeking strategies.
- Students rely on interactions with teachers, family, and friends to manage uncertainty about post-graduation pathways.
- The study supports TMIM as a useful model for understanding decision-making in graduation-related anxiety.

## Abstract

Based on the Theory of Motivated Information Management (TMIM), this study examines how undergraduates manage information related to post-graduation pathways, with a particular focus on their interactions with teachers, family, and friends. In addition, it explores how individuals perceive and process information in uncertain situations, specifically examining undergraduates' behaviors and decision-making regarding employment and further education. Furthermore, this study sheds light on the decision-making processes of students facing graduation choices, particularly in terms of information management. It addresses a gap in the application of the TMIM model within the context of college graduation anxiety research, assessing its suitability as a decision-making model for information seeking related to graduation anxiety. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the TMIM framework in predicting information-seeking strategies, thereby supporting various application scenarios of information-seeking models for undergraduates.