Cognitive and Affective Processes in Collection Development

The selection process in collection management has been characterized as based primarily on logical, rational thinking processes. Psychologists, however, have discovered that judgment and decision making are not exclusively cognitive functions. They depend instead on a complex interaction between affect and cognition, feeling and thought. This paper attempts to explore some of these interactive processes and how they may potentially influence the selection process in collection development. Some implications for how selectors approach their work are discussed as well.