Wikipedians, and Why They Do It - CiteSeerX

University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg

Wikipedians, and Why They Do It: Motivational Dynamics of Voluntary Engagement in an Open Web-based Encyclopedia Joachim Schroer & Guido Hertel University of Wuerzburg EAWOP 2007 / Stockholm / May 11, 2007 Slide 1

University of Wuerzburg Work, Industrial & Organizational Psychology

Wikipedia University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg

• “The encyclopedia anyone can edit” • Mission statement: “Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge. That's what we're doing.” • Web 2.0 • Huge success • Who writes – and why? Slide 2



Social movement participation

Slide 3

Task characteristics

Study 1: Survey of German Wikipedia project

Study 2: International survey


Social Movement Participation University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg ●

Three classes of motives for voluntary engagement (Klandermans, 1997, 2004) 1. Norm-oriented motives “How do friends and family respond to the engagement?”

2. Costs and benefits “Which benefits/costs are caused by the engagement?”

3. Collective motives “How important are the goals of the movement?” ●

Independent pathway (Simon et al.,1998) 4. Identification with the social movement

Slide 4


Job Characteristics Model University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg

Core Job Characteristcs

Job Characteristics ModelAffective and Motivational Critical Psychological States

Outcomes

Behavioral Outcomes

Skill Variety Task Significance

Meaningfulness

Satisfaction

Autonomy

Responsibility

Performance

Feedback

Knowledge of Results

Task Identity

Slide 5

Motivation University of Wuerzburg Work, Industrial & Organizational Psychology

Research Model University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg

Process Variables Affective and Behavioral Outcomes

Predictors Norm-or. Motives Costs and Benefits

+ +

Collective Motives + Identification

Task Charact. Slide 6

Satisfaction

+ +

+

+

Wikipedia Engagement

Motivation University of Wuerzburg Work, Industrial & Organizational Psychology


Study 1: Survey of the German Wikipedia Project • Cross-sectional design • Recruitment over mailing list of German Wikipedia project, two reminders • Online March 22 – April 09, 2005 • N = 106

Slide 7


Overview of Measures University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg

• Predictors – Norm-oriented motives, costs/benefits, collective motives – Identification – Perceived task characteristics (JDS)

• Process variables – Intrinsic motivation • Task enjoyment • Experienced competence • “Flow”

• Outcomes – Satisfaction – Engagement • Time invested in engagement (work/leisure) • Articles on “watchlist”

Slide 8


Weighted Means (N = 106) University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg

Norm-oriented Motives

4.1

Costs and Benefits

4.64

Collective Motives

6.17

Identification

4.87

Task Characteristics

4.63

Intrinsic Motivation

5.47

Satisfaction

5.53 1

Slide 9

2

3

4

5

6

7


Regression Model (N = 106) University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg

Satisfaction

Engagement


.12 * (dir.)

Costs and Benefits

.26 *

-.31 *

Collective Motives

.11

-.10

Identification

.19 *

.12


.52 ***

.22


.01

.23 * (dir.)

R²

.62

.28

Slide 11

.08


Intrinsic Motivation as Mediator University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg

Controlling for mediator: c’ = .21, p < .05 Autonomy Significance

Task character.

c = .32, p < .001

Engagement

Feedback

a = .42, p < .001

b = .25, p = .02 Intrinsic Motivation Sobel test: z = 2.15, p < .05 Partial mediation

Slide 12


Study 2: International Survey University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg

•

Integration of “Generativity”

•

Recruitment 1. Mailing lists of the largest Wikipedia projects (two reminders) 2. Community websites und blogs 3. Front page of English Wikipedia 4. Open Source portal “NewsForge”

• •

Online July 11 – August 15, 2005 N = 354

Slide 13


Weighted Means (N = 354) University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg


3.14

Costs and Benefits

5.04

Collective Motives

6.09

Identification

5.37


4.65

Generativity

5.47


5.57

Satisfaction

5.32 1

Slide 14

2

3

4

5

6

7


Regression Model (N = 354) University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg

Satisfaction

Engagement


.04

-.04

Costs and Benefits

.22 ***

-.21 **

Collective Motives

.00

-.05

Identification

.30 ***

.20 *

Generativity

.07

.00


.19 ***

.05


.25 ***

.15 * (dir.)

R²

.53

.10

Slide 16


Intrinsic Motivation as Mediator University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg

Controlling for mediator: c’ = .06, p = .30 Task character.

c = .12, p < .05

a = .39, p < .001

Engagement

b = .15, p = .01 Intrinsic Motivation Sobel test: z = 2.43, p = .02 Complete mediation

Slide 17


Summary of Results University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg

• Costs and Benefits – Positive association with satisfaction – Negative association with engagement

• Collective Motives / Generativity – Considered import by Wikipedians – Not associated with satisfaction or engagement

• Identification – Positive association with satisfaction and engagement

• Task Characteristics – Important: autonomy, task significance, and feedback – Strong association with satisfaction – Effect on engagement mediated by intrinsic motivation

Slide 18


Outlook University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg

Wikipedians, and why they do it: 1. Reasons to get involved – Collective motives / “Generativity” – Learning 2. Reasons to stay engaged – Task characteristics – Intrinsic motivation – Identification •

Paper available at: http://www.abo.psychologie.uniwuerzburg.de/virtualcollaboration/

Slide 19


References University University of of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg

Hackman, J. & Oldham, G. R. (1974). The Job Diagnostic Survey: An instrument for the diagnosis of jobs and the evaluation of job redesign projects. Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology, 4, 148-149. Hackman, J. & Oldham, G. R. (1980). Work redesign. Oxford: Blackwell. Hertel, G., Niedner, S. & Herrmann, S. (2003). Motivation of software developers in Open Source projects: An internet-based survey of contributors to the Linux kernel. Research Policy, 32, 1159-1177. Klandermans, B. (1997). The social psychology of protest. Oxford: Blackwell. Klandermans, B. (2004). The demand and supply of participation: Social psychological correlates of participation in social movements. In D. A. Snow, S. Soule & H. Kriesi (Eds.), The Blackwell Companion to Social Movements (pp. 360-379). Oxford: Blackwell. McAdams, D. P. & de St. Aubin, E. (1992). A theory of generativity and its assessment through self-report, behavioral acts, and narrative themes in autobiography. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 62, 10031015. Simon, B., Loewy, M., Stürmer, S., Weber, U., Freytag, P., Habig, C. et al. (1998). Collective identification and social movement participation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 646-658. Stürmer, S. & Simon, B. (2004). Collective action: Towards a dual-pathway model. European Review of Social Psychology, 15, 59-99. Slide 20



Backup Slides

Slide 21



Study 1: Demographics Gender 25

23

20

16

15 10

88% male 10% female

8

5

18

Age

14 9

M = 33 years SD = 13 years

7 4

3

2

1

0 9 -6 65 4 -6 60 9 -5 55 4 -5 50 9 -4 45 4 -4 40 9 -3 35 4 -3 30 9 -2 25 4 -2 20 9 -1 15 Slide 22



Study 1: Demographics other 9%

Employment status

n/a 1%

unemployed 5%

full-time 43%

college student 25%

student 7%

Slide 23

part-time 10%



Study 1: Demographics divorced 2%

n/a 5%

Partnership / family background

married 15%

single 51%

partnership 27%

Slide 24
