Comments on: What’s in it for me? Why people participate in social networking websites http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/ pretty design pending Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:09:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Adam Crowe - links for 2007-08-07 http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-27918 Adam Crowe - links for 2007-08-07 Tue, 07 Aug 2007 00:46:47 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-27918 [...] disambiguity - What’s in it for me? Why people participate in social networking websites Peter Pollack’s ‘Economies of Online Cooperation’ : there are four key sources of personal motivation in online social networking, being: #1 Anticipated Reciprocity #2 Reputation #3 ‘Sense of Efficacy’ #4 Identification with a group” (tags: socialnetworking networks collaboration ambientintimacy participation community web2.0 motivation behaviours economics collectiveintelligence aggregation crowdsourcing) Filed in delicious [...] [...] disambiguity - What’s in it for me? Why people participate in social networking websites Peter Pollack’s ‘Economies of Online Cooperation’ : there are four key sources of personal motivation in online social networking, being: #1 Anticipated Reciprocity #2 Reputation #3 ‘Sense of Efficacy’ #4 Identification with a group” (tags: socialnetworking networks collaboration ambientintimacy participation community web2.0 motivation behaviours economics collectiveintelligence aggregation crowdsourcing) Filed in delicious [...]

]]> By: James Governor’s Monkchips » Why Open Source Software is Social Media http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-26214 James Governor’s Monkchips » Why Open Source Software is Social Media Fri, 27 Jul 2007 10:50:25 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-26214 [...] next update: It seems Tom Coates gets it, points out Leisa. From his presentation Greater Than The Sum Of Its Parts, key sources of personal motivation in online social networking, being: [...] [...] next update: It seems Tom Coates gets it, points out Leisa. From his presentation Greater Than The Sum Of Its Parts, key sources of personal motivation in online social networking, being: [...]

]]> By: dancingmango » What’s in it for me? http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-25647 dancingmango » What’s in it for me? Mon, 23 Jul 2007 14:49:41 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-25647 [...] Social networking is all the rage at the moment. I’m attending meetings where clients are buzzing about creating a community… and I find myself challenging their enthusiasm. I return to a simple question: “So what”. Put yourself in the shoes of your customers and ask “What’s in it for me?” Leisa says this succinctly: If you’re thinking of joining the bun rush (or your client has insisted that they must), I think the first and most important question to ask is from your potential users perspective - what’s in it for them? What’s their motivation to sign up, to find and make friends, to participate, and to come back, ever? [...] [...] Social networking is all the rage at the moment. I’m attending meetings where clients are buzzing about creating a community… and I find myself challenging their enthusiasm. I return to a simple question: “So what”. Put yourself in the shoes of your customers and ask “What’s in it for me?” Leisa says this succinctly: If you’re thinking of joining the bun rush (or your client has insisted that they must), I think the first and most important question to ask is from your potential users perspective - what’s in it for them? What’s their motivation to sign up, to find and make friends, to participate, and to come back, ever? [...]

]]> By: links for 2007-07-20 // mikkelwinther.dk http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-25232 links for 2007-07-20 // mikkelwinther.dk Fri, 20 Jul 2007 06:26:00 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-25232 [...] 4 grunde til at brugere deltager i sociale netværk 1. Anticipated Reciprocity. 2 Reputation. 3. ‘Sense of Efficacy’. 4. Identification with a group. (tags: web2.0 community via:socialsquare) [...] [...] 4 grunde til at brugere deltager i sociale netværk 1. Anticipated Reciprocity. 2 Reputation. 3. ‘Sense of Efficacy’. 4. Identification with a group. (tags: web2.0 community via:socialsquare) [...]

]]> By: links for 2007-07-19 « I do http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-25088 links for 2007-07-19 « I do Thu, 19 Jul 2007 06:46:05 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-25088 [...] disambiguity - » What’s in it for me? Why people participate in social networking websites 1. Anticipated Reciprocity 2. Reputation 3. ‘Sense of Efficacy’ 4. Identification with a group (tags: community social article motivation) [...] [...] disambiguity - » What’s in it for me? Why people participate in social networking websites 1. Anticipated Reciprocity 2. Reputation 3. ‘Sense of Efficacy’ 4. Identification with a group (tags: community social article motivation) [...]

]]> By: Andrew Boyd http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-24523 Andrew Boyd Sun, 15 Jul 2007 21:24:59 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-24523 Hi Lisa, perhaps it is my existentialist take on social computing - that the "why" is so hard to pin down so we might as well look at the "is" so that at least we're tracking it. Not that qualitative research is inapplicable - far from it, but because it takes longer to do properly, and things like Facebook are growing so rapidly, it may never happen in sufficient depth across a significant sample of groups. Perhaps I am being overly pessimistic, when it comes right down to it, and usefully extrapolable studies will help us understand what is happening AND why :) Cheers, Andrew Hi Lisa,

perhaps it is my existentialist take on social computing - that the “why” is so hard to pin down so we might as well look at the “is” so that at least we’re tracking it. Not that qualitative research is inapplicable - far from it, but because it takes longer to do properly, and things like Facebook are growing so rapidly, it may never happen in sufficient depth across a significant sample of groups.

Perhaps I am being overly pessimistic, when it comes right down to it, and usefully extrapolable studies will help us understand what is happening AND why :)

Cheers, Andrew

]]> By: leisa.reichelt http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-24466 leisa.reichelt Sun, 15 Jul 2007 13:46:24 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-24466 Hrm.. have to say that if I was to research this, I'd be going with qual. not quant, Andrew. After all... isn't this all about *why* people do stuff, not so much what they're doing? Quantitative research might validate some of the findings from a qualitative research study, but I don't think it's a good first approach. I'm thinking, for example, of some of the behaviour I've been exploring with FaceBook friending. Quant. research might have told me that the average 25 year old has x number of friends and communicates regularly with y% of them. It doesn't tell my why that person has all those other friends on there that they don't message regularly or at all. It's only through talking to them (qual) that you get to understand this behaviour. Anyways... not sure if this is relevant this is to your comment or whether I'm on a big 'defending qualitative research' bent at the moment ;) I do definitely agree with both the comments on research tho' - it would be great to see more hard core research on the how and why of social networks coming out so that we can better understand this. And also with Joshua's comment that Kollock's work was done back in the 90s, so perhaps we actually have more resources we could be drawing on that we're overlooking in the belief that all this is newer than it actually is.. perhaps :) I know some of the most interesting and relevant research I found on the whole 'Ambient Intimacy' topic was done a few years ago by researchers in Japan doing ethnographic research on teenagers use of mobile phones... something to ponder :) Hrm.. have to say that if I was to research this, I’d be going with qual. not quant, Andrew. After all… isn’t this all about *why* people do stuff, not so much what they’re doing? Quantitative research might validate some of the findings from a qualitative research study, but I don’t think it’s a good first approach.

I’m thinking, for example, of some of the behaviour I’ve been exploring with FaceBook friending. Quant. research might have told me that the average 25 year old has x number of friends and communicates regularly with y% of them. It doesn’t tell my why that person has all those other friends on there that they don’t message regularly or at all. It’s only through talking to them (qual) that you get to understand this behaviour.

Anyways… not sure if this is relevant this is to your comment or whether I’m on a big ‘defending qualitative research’ bent at the moment ;)

I do definitely agree with both the comments on research tho’ - it would be great to see more hard core research on the how and why of social networks coming out so that we can better understand this. And also with Joshua’s comment that Kollock’s work was done back in the 90s, so perhaps we actually have more resources we could be drawing on that we’re overlooking in the belief that all this is newer than it actually is.. perhaps :)

I know some of the most interesting and relevant research I found on the whole ‘Ambient Intimacy’ topic was done a few years ago by researchers in Japan doing ethnographic research on teenagers use of mobile phones…

something to ponder :)

]]> By: Andrew Boyd http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-24401 Andrew Boyd Sun, 15 Jul 2007 05:06:42 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-24401 Hi Johannes, I'd be looking for quantitative studies too - how many people are using social computing, in what setting (work vs afterwork vs home), and for what definable purpose (work vs afterwork vs non-work) - although I would have to add the disclaimer that for many people I believe that the boundary between these categories is blurring. I think that speculation is acceptable when marked as such - it's when people say "studies have proven.." without quoting their sources that things get fuzzy. That said, I believe that without speculation there would be less discovery, even if that speculation is wrong :) Best regards, Andrew Hi Johannes,
I’d be looking for quantitative studies too - how many people are using social computing, in what setting (work vs afterwork vs home), and for what definable purpose (work vs afterwork vs non-work) - although I would have to add the disclaimer that for many people I believe that the boundary between these categories is blurring.

I think that speculation is acceptable when marked as such - it’s when people say “studies have proven..” without quoting their sources that things get fuzzy. That said, I believe that without speculation there would be less discovery, even if that speculation is wrong :)

Best regards, Andrew

]]> By: Johannes Dommnich http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-24376 Johannes Dommnich Sun, 15 Jul 2007 00:21:44 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-24376 Just started wondering about the same thing. Had not heard about Tom Coates before, but will check out next. As I pondered this question, and tried to apply some of the stuff I remember from my psychology studies at university about motivation that without any empirical data (ie. qualitative studies with actual users) any answer remains speculative or at best introspective. So good to find another pointer. I think the key question really is what aspects of a website make users feel they can achieve their goals (ie. fulfill their motivations) - apart from usability and critical mass ... Just started wondering about the same thing. Had not heard about Tom Coates before, but will check out next.

As I pondered this question, and tried to apply some of the stuff I remember from my psychology studies at university about motivation that without any empirical data (ie. qualitative studies with actual users) any answer remains speculative or at best introspective. So good to find another pointer.

I think the key question really is what aspects of a website make users feel they can achieve their goals (ie. fulfill their motivations) - apart from usability and critical mass …

]]> By: magia3e http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-24028 magia3e Thu, 12 Jul 2007 23:35:12 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/whats-in-it-for-me-why-people-participate-in-social-networking-websites/#comment-24028 I've been examining this is some detail on my blog, particularly the effects of personal motivation and external factors in the decision making process for adopting social computing. The answer goes beyond just personal social needs and is intertwined with how people perceive the benefits to be had with any change. M I’ve been examining this is some detail on my blog, particularly the effects of personal motivation and external factors in the decision making process for adopting social computing.

The answer goes beyond just personal social needs and is intertwined with how people perceive the benefits to be had with any change.

M

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