Understanding what drives participation in crowdsourcing initiatives
Core Idea: Crowd workers participate in crowdsourcing for diverse motivations beyond financial compensation, including skill development, enjoyment, altruism, and professional recognition.
Key Elements
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Financial Incentives:
- Supplementary income opportunity
- Flexible earning potential
- Less pressure than traditional freelancing
- Only 15% rely on crowdsourcing as primary income
-
Skill Development:
- Opportunity to practice underutilized skills
- Learning new capabilities
- Building portfolio of work
- Applying expertise in new contexts
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Intrinsic Enjoyment:
- Passion for specific types of work
- Engaging with interesting challenges
- Creative fulfillment
- Intellectual stimulation
- Community engagement
-
Altruistic Drivers:
- Contributing to meaningful projects
- Solving important problems
- Making broader social impact
- Supporting causes or organizations aligned with personal values
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Reputation Enhancement:
- Recognition for contributions
- Accolades and awards
- Building professional visibility
- Portfolio development for future opportunities
- Community status
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Motivational Hierarchy:
- Varies by individual and project type
- Often combines multiple factors
- Non-monetary incentives frequently outweigh financial rewards
- Recognition sometimes more valuable than payment
Additional Connections
- Broader Context: Self-Determination Theory (relates to intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation)
- Applications: Incentive Design (how to structure rewards for crowd workers)
- See Also: Volunteer Psychology (similar motivational patterns)
References
- Brabham, D. C. (2013). Motivations for participation in a crowdsourcing application. Information, Communication & Society.
- Kaufmann, N., Schulze, T., & Veit, D. (2011). More than fun and money: Worker motivation in crowdsourcing.
#motivation #crowd-workers #incentives #participation-drivers #crowdsourcing
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