There is provided an information acquisition apparatus configured to process a signal acquired by receiving an acoustic wave generated in a subject by irradiating the subject with light and propagated through a medium provided between the subject and a reception means. The information acquisition apparatus includes a position setting means configured to set a position of interest, and an acquisition means configured to determine a first signal of interest derived from the acoustic wave generated at the position of interest and propagated through the medium as a transverse wave from among the signals with use of information indicating an acoustic velocity of the transverse wave in the medium, and acquire subject information at the position of interest with use of the first signal of interest.
