Understanding motivational aspects of collaboration between scientists and

citizen scientists – Biotrackers.net

Citizen Science & Biodiversity: Meeting at the crossroads

October 21, 2011

Scientists and enthusiasts

"Scientists often have an aversion to what nonscientists say about science” (Salk, 1986)

Collaboration is based on several factors:• Shared vocabulary, practices, and meanings• Mutual recognition of knowledge, competency, and

prestige• Motivation to collaborate

Research questions

• What are the major motivational factors affecting volunteers and scientists engagement in citizen science projects?

• What are the major motivational barriers to such collaboration?

Motivations for participation

Egoism

Collectivism

Altruism

Principalism

Batson, Ahmad, Tsang, 2002

Scientists and volunteers motivationsfor scientific collaboration

Altruism Collectivism Principalism Egoism0

1

2

3

4

5

ScientistsVolunteers

Motivational Factors

Moti

vatio

nal l

evel

- Li

kert

sca

le

n = 142

Motivational factors affecting citizen scientists participation

• Initial interest• Recognition and attribution• Feedback• Community involvement• Advocacy

The motivational cycle

Personal interestInitial/ongoing

Active collaborationTraining, attribution,

recognition

Initial involvementInterest, thirst for

knowledge

Continued involvementOngoing attribution, inclusion in scientific

work/products, community involvement,

advocacy

egoism

egoism

Egoism, collectivism,

altruism

No continued recognition =

decline in motivation

Without scientists

recognition = loss of

motivation

Scientists – altruistic support

for public education

Scientists – need for data

Obstacles to collaboration

• Mutual apprehension• Lack of trust (“quality control”)• Not acknowledging motivational factors

What next?

• Interventions through design changes:– Variations on feedback– Designing for locality– Matching people and tasks– Breaking down projects to smaller “building blocks”– Synergy of small scale projects

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Questions?