Predicting Field Experiment Results on Online Knowledge Contributions (Public)
Project
Predicting Field Experiment Results on Online Knowledge Contributions
Study ID sspp-2025-0030-v1
Study Title Predicting Field Experiment Results on Online Knowledge Contributions
Authors Yikun Jiang
Completion Time 10 Minutes
Close Date (UTC) July 9, 2025
Discipline Economics, Management
Field Industrial Organization, Behavioral Economics
Country Online (many countries)
Abstract
With the prominence of user-generated content platforms, online knowledge platforms have experienced substantial growth. However, it is unclear why individuals voluntarily contribute knowledge and how platform strategies can facilitate individuals’ contributions through non-monetary incentives. I designed and implemented a large-scale field experiment involving 12,182 individuals on one of the largest online question-and-answer platforms. I sample and manually treat participating platform individuals daily for four and a half months. The treatment gives one anonymous upvote to eligible answers from one of my own accounts, exogenously shifting individuals’ social and instrumental motivations. I then track comprehensive data on individuals’ subsequent behavior on the platform daily for more than four months.
Study ID sspp-2025-0030-v1
Study Title Predicting Field Experiment Results on Online Knowledge Contributions
Authors Yikun Jiang
Completion Time 10 Minutes
Close Date (UTC) July 9, 2025
Discipline Economics, Management
Field Industrial Organization, Behavioral Economics
Country Online (many countries)
Abstract
With the prominence of user-generated content platforms, online knowledge platforms have experienced substantial growth. However, it is unclear why individuals voluntarily contribute knowledge and how platform strategies can facilitate individuals’ contributions through non-monetary incentives. I designed and implemented a large-scale field experiment involving 12,182 individuals on one of the largest online question-and-answer platforms. I sample and manually treat participating platform individuals daily for four and a half months. The treatment gives one anonymous upvote to eligible answers from one of my own accounts, exogenously shifting individuals’ social and instrumental motivations. I then track comprehensive data on individuals’ subsequent behavior on the platform daily for more than four months.
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