Exploring Emerging Adults’ Health Information Practices with <scp>AI</scp> through a Cognitive Authority Lens

Abstract

ABSTRACT The PEW Research reports that after the COVID pandemic around 37% of teens have mental health issues (Schaeffer, 2025) and almost 50% of teens attribute this to social media (Park, 2025). Initial explorations among emerging adults (Hochberg &amp; Konner, 2020) have shown that even though social media apps are still the primary choice of information source, the use of generative AI is on the rise (Rainie, 2023). However, it is not yet clear how emerging adults between the ages of 18 and 24 evaluate information and determine credibility and trustworthiness of health information sources that are based on artificial intelligence (AI). This project is a work in progress and intends to explore the information behavior and practices of emerging adults in New Jersey who use generative AI for health information. Using data obtained from observation‐based interviews (Lindhof &amp; Taylor, 2019; Lareau, 2021) of selected participants, I shall use selective coding (Charmaz, 2014) to examine how concepts of cognitive authority can help to inform information behavior and practices of emerging adults. This research is conducted through a cognitive authority lens (Wilson, 1983; Rieh &amp; Belkin, 1998) with the hope that an understanding of the relationships between emerging adults and health information sources may provide insights into better strategies to provide access to trustworthy and credible health information.

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