Motivations to Contribute to Commons-Based Peer Production

[Fabiano Angélico]

Via Tiago Peixoto (@participatory)

Individual and Social Motivations to Contribute to Commons-Based Peer
Production
Suzuki (2011)

The present study uncovers the motivations driving certain Internet
users to contribute to commons-based peer production. The study
combines the literature of volunteerism, uses and gratifications, and
social identity theory as the theoretical framework. Findings from the
preliminary in-depth interviews were combined with that of prior
literatures to develop a questionnaire, which was designed to uncover
the individual and social motivations driving commons-based peer
production. The questionnaire was administered to a random sample of
top Wikipedia editors in the form of an online survey. The results
revealed an eight-factor structure of motivation composed by both
self- and other-focused, individual and social motivations such as
“career benefits,” “social desirability,” “concern for others’ well-
being,” “cognitive group membership,” “avoidance of negative self-
affect,” “need to be entertained,” “seeking of creative stimulation,”
and “providing information.” Additional analysis revealed that
“providing information,” “seeking of creative stimulation” and
“concern for others’ well-being” were the three strongest motivations
while “seeking of creative stimulation,” “need to be entertained,” and
“providing information” were the three significantly correlated
motivations with one’s satisfaction gained from editing Wikipedia.

http://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/119040/1/Suzuki_Yoshikazu_November2011.pdf