information technologies shape social outcomes like the decision to
join a community or contribute to a public good. My research is deeply
interdisciplinary and lies at the intersection of sociology,
-communication, and human-computer interaction. I combine data from
+communication, and human-computer interaction. I analyze data from
online communities that make failures of collective action newly
visible with ``big data'' research methods from software engineering
to answer fundamental social scientific questions.
research has been driven by three overlapping themes: (1)
population-level observational studies comparing failures to build
communities to the rare successful attempts; (2) attention to the role
-of reputation and status in collective action; and (3) analyses of
-design changes treated as ``natural experiments'' to build a deeper,
-and often causal, understanding of social processes from observational
-data. Almost all of my work incorporates at least two of these themes.
+of reputation and status in the mobilization of volunteers; and (3)
+analyses of design changes as ``natural experiments'' to build a
+deeper, and often causal, understanding of social processes from
+observational data. Nearly all of my work incorporates at least two of
+these themes.
\section{Population-Level Observational Studies}
Although there have been many thousands of studies of online
collective action and peer production, the vast majority of these
studies have only considered successful projects like Wikipedia and
-GNU/Linux. The majority of research on collective action -- both
-online and off -- has only considered projects that have successfully
-mobilized contributors. In this sense, most previous analyses of
+GNU/Linux. The majority of research on collective action -- online
+and off -- has only considered projects that have successfully
+mobilized. In this sense, most previous analyses of
collection action have systematically selected on their dependent
variable. Most of my research treats projects as the unit of analysis
-and mobilization as the dependent variable, comparing successful
+and mobilization as the dependent variable to compare successful
examples of collective actions to failures.
% \begin{wrapfigure}{r}{0.4\textwidth}
\begin{wrapfigure}{r}{2.6in}
\begin{centering}
\includegraphics[width=2.6in]{figures/scratch_screenshot_default.png}
- \caption{A screenshot of the Scratch desktop programming environment
+ \caption{A screenshot of the Scratch programming environment
where users create animations and interactive games.}
\label{fig:scratchapp}
\end{centering}
For example, in a working paper that is part of my dissertation, I
compare Wikipedia to seven attempts to create online collaborative
encyclopedia projects that were launched before Wikipedia
-\cite{hill_almost_2012}. Using a inductive, grounded-theory based
+\cite{hill_almost_2012}. Using an inductive, grounded-theory based
analysis of founder interviews and archival data, I propose four
-hypothesis for why Wikipedia built a large community while extremely
-similar projects struggled to do so. Although the paper's methods
-diverge from the quantitative, ``big data'' approach typical of most
-of my work, the research question and strategy is representative.
+hypothesis to explain why Wikipedia attracted many more contributors
+than similar projects. Although the paper's methods diverge from the
+quantitative, ``big data'' approach typical of most of my work, the
+research question and strategy is representative.
-I have also addressed this question in a series of quantitative
+I have also followed this strategy in a series of quantitative
studies of the Scratch online community: a public website with a large
community of users who create, share, and remix interactive media. The
community is built around the Scratch programming environment: a
freely downloadable desktop application that allows amateur creators
to combine media with programming code (see Figure
-\ref{fig:scratchapp}. Despite the fact that Scratch is a community
+\ref{fig:scratchapp}). Despite the fact that Scratch is a community
designed to promote collaboration through content remixing, only about
-ten percent of Scratch projects will attract even a second
+ten percent of Scratch projects attract a second
contributor.
\begin{wrapfigure}{l}{2.6in}
\end{wrapfigure}
In one study, forthcoming in American Behavioral Scientist, I test
-three of the most commonly cited theories associated with
+several of the most commonly cited theories associated with
``generativity'' (i.e., qualities of technology or content that make
-some works more fertile group for collaboration). I find some support
+some works more fertile ground for collaboration). I find some support
for previous theories but also find that, across the board, factors
-associated with increased collaboration are associated with less
-original and less transformative modes of joint-work
-\cite{hill_remixing_2012}. In another published study using data from
-Scratch, I show that more superficial collaboration leads to negative
-reactions and displeasure in the community
-\cite{hill_responses_2010}.
-
-I am conducting a similar population based analysis in a new dataset I
-have created with a population of 80,000 public attempts at ``wikis''
-(i.e., public websites using the same infrastructure as Wikipedia). In
-a working paper using this dataset, I consider inter-organizational
-effects of competition for volunteer labor and find little support for
-a widely cited ecological model of collective action from sociology
-that treats volunteer labor as fixed and finite resource. Using data
-on wikis hosted by both Wikia and the Wikimedia Foundation, I show
-that contributions across peer production projects are driven by
-environment-level changes in interest and that projects can even
-benefit from complimentarities between similar projects
-\cite{hill_is_2012}.
+associated with increased collaboration are also associated with less
+original and transformative modes of joint-work
+\cite{hill_remixing_2012}. In another study of Scratch, I show that
+more superficial collaboration leads to negative reactions and
+community displeasure \cite{hill_responses_2010}.
+
+I am conducting a similar population-level analysis in a new dataset I
+have created for my dissertation that includes 80,000 public attempts
+at wikis (i.e., public, editable, websites similar to Wikipedia). In
+my first working paper using this dataset, I consider
+inter-organizational effects of competition for volunteer labor and
+find little support for a widely cited ecological model of collective
+action from sociology that treats volunteer labor as fixed and finite
+resource. Instead, I show that contributions to different wikis on the
+same topic or theme are driven primarily by environment-level changes
+in interest and that projects can even benefit from complimentarities
+and synergies \cite{hill_is_2012}.
\section{Reputation and Status}
Although empirical research comparing successful and unsuccessful peer
-projects has been rare, theories offering to explain the success of
-collective action online have been widespread. No theory has been more
-influential or widespread than the suggestion that, in the absence of
-pecuniary rewards, engagement in collective action in online
-communities is driven by the possibility of increased reputation and
-status conferred upon contributors to an online public good.
+projects has been rare, theories have been widespread. No theory has
+been more influential than the suggestion that, in the absence of
+pecuniary rewards, contributions to online public good are driven by
+the possibility of increased reputation and status conferred upon
+contributors.
\begin{wrapfigure}{r}{0.3\textwidth}
\vspace{-1em}
sociology journal by the end of this year, I provide an empirical test
of an influential status-based theory of collective action from
sociology. Although the study finds support for the widely
-hypothesized virtuous cycle of status rewarding active contributors,
-it also finds that these effects are limited to a sub-population of
-Wikipedia contributors -- i.e., those who show their awards off to
-others in virtual trophy cases \cite{hill_status_2012}. This result
+hypothesized ``virtuous cycle'' of status rewards both causing and
+being caused by contributions, it also finds that this effect is
+limited to a sub-population of contributors to Wikipedia -- i.e.,
+those who show off their awards \cite{hill_status_2012}. This result
has broad implications for both status-based theories of collective
-action as well the design of reputation-based reward systems.
+action as well the design of reputation-based rewards.
-In another study of Scratch, nominated for best paper at the CHI 2011
-conference \cite{monroy-hernandez_computers_2011}, I paired a
-quantitative analysis of a design change with in-depth interviews of
-users to demonstrate how credit-giving is ineffective when it stems
-from an automated system because the system fails to reinforce
-status-ordering through credible human expressions of social deference
-and gratitude.
+In a mixed methods study of Scratch, nominated for best paper at the
+CHI 2011 conference \cite{monroy-hernandez_computers_2011}, I
+presented both a quantitative analysis of a design change and in-depth
+interviews of users to demonstrate how credit-giving is ineffective
+when it stems from an automated system because systems fail to
+reinforce status-ordering with credible human expressions of social
+deference and gratitude.
\section{Design-Driven Natural Experiments}
Although nearly all of my work has important implications for the
design of socio-technical systems, I have structured much of my work
-around the evaluation of design interventions. In several papers, I
-treat design changes in technologies as ``natural experiments'' that
+around the evaluation of technological design changes. In several papers, I
+treat design changes as ``natural experiments'' that
exogenously change the ways that social structure is enacted in order
-to both build causal understanding from field data and to tighten the
-distance between theories and and design.
+to both build causal understanding of social phenomena from field data and to tighten the
+distance between theory and and design.
For example, to evaluate the impact of status-based incentives and
collaboration in Scratch, I use a regression discontinuity framework
-to measure the causal effect of increased status for collaboration in
-Scratch \cite{hill_causal_2012}. In that study, which I am preparing
-for submission to a communication journal this fall, I show that the
-highlighting the work of the authors of collaborative projects on the
-Scratch web page (see the bottom of Figure \ref{fig:scratchfrontpage})
-resulted in more collaboration but also caused a decrease in the
-amount of total effort exerted by contributors. Speaking to
-fundamental sociological work in the literature on collective action,
-I present evidence that this decrease is driven by both an the influx
-of new contributors and a decrease in the effort and contributions of
-established contributors.
-
-In other papers, I have helped analyze sales records of hobbyists
+to measure the causal effect of increased status for collaboration
+\cite{hill_causal_2012}. In that study, which I am preparing for
+submission to a communication journal this fall, I show that
+highlighting collaborative projects on the Scratch web page (see the
+bottom of Figure \ref{fig:scratchfrontpage}) resulted in more
+collaboration but also caused a decrease in the amount of total effort
+exerted by contributors. Speaking to fundamental sociological work in
+the literature on collective action, I present evidence that this
+decrease is driven by both an the influx of new contributors and a
+decrease in the effort and contributions of established participants.
+
+In other papers, I have helped analyze sales records of hobbyist
microcontrollers to suggest that relatively simple design changes in
the \emph{LilyPad Arduino} -- a electronics toolkit minimally
re-designed for women and girls (see Figure \ref{fig:lilypad}) -- can
-lead to large increases in the proportion of women contributors
-through important shifts in the type of projects created
+lead to large increases in the proportion of women contributors and
+drastic shifts in the type of projects created
\cite{buechley_lilypad_2010}. In other work, I have explored how
technical errors may be able to provide similar opportunities for
analysis \cite{hill_revealing_2010}.
My research agenda involves further exploration of the determinants of
collection action online -- especially using a series of large new
-datasets I have built in my dissertation research. I plan to both
-continue this research trajectory and to create new social and
-technical infrastructure that will allow others researchers to join me
-in the type ``big data'' observational research in active communities
-that my research involves. This section outlines some future
-directions I plan to explore.
+datasets I have assembled for my dissertation. I plan to both continue
+on this research trajectory and to create new social and technical
+infrastructure that will allow others researchers to join me in ``big
+data'' observational research in active communities. This section
+outlines some future directions I plan to explore.
\emph{Toolkits for Experimental Social Design} -- My research has been
-possible through relationships I have with a series of organizations
-with large active online communities (e.g., the MIT Media Lab and the
-Wikimedia Foundation). These organizations, like many others, make
-design changes to the software that supports their communities to
-encourage contributions and improve aspects of their users'
-experiences. Most of the time, these organizations have very little
-idea if these changes work. I plan to build on my own experience
-evaluating natural experiments in online communities to create a
-technical framework, and a network of academic and practitioner
-collaborators, to facilitate well-designed experiments by the hosts of
-large online communities and a system for data sharing that allows for
-academic evaluation of these experiments.
+possible through personal relationships I have with a series of
+organizations with large active online communities (e.g., the MIT
+Media Lab and the Wikimedia Foundation). These organizations, like
+many others, make design changes to the software that supports their
+communities to encourage contributions and improve aspects of their
+users' experiences. Most of the time, these organizations have very
+little idea if these changes are effective. I plan to build on my own
+experience to create a technical framework, and a network of academic
+and practitioner collaborators, to facilitate well-designed natural
+experiments by the hosts of large online communities and a system for
+data sharing that allows for academic evaluation of these experiments.
\emph{Understanding the Relationship Between Collective Action and
Performance} -- My work has treated collective action and production
as ends in themselves and has largely avoided the consideration of
-issues of performance, efficiency, or quality. Using my existing
-datasets, I will compare the performance of collaborative production
-to individually produced works to understand when successful
-collection action leads to higher performance or quality. In a
-manuscript currently under review using data from Scratch, I show
-important limitations of collaboration in remixing quality,
-particularly in regards to more artistic or media-intensive projects
-\cite{hill_cost_2012}. I will further explore this direction in future
+issues of performance, efficiency, and quality. Using my existing
+datasets, I plan to compare the performance of collaborative
+production to individually produced works to understand when
+successful collection action leads to higher performance and
+quality. In a manuscript currently under review using data from
+Scratch, I show important limitations of collaboration in remixing
+quality, particularly in regards to more artistic or media-intensive
+works \cite{hill_cost_2012}. I will explore this direction in future
work.
\emph{Integrated Theory of Design for Collective Action} --
variable. In future work, I plan to evaluate the effect of governance
and different systems of authority, framing, modularity and project
complexity. In the long term, I hope to work toward a broad set of
-principles of design for collection action and community.
+principles of design for online collection action and community.
In graduate school, I have been fortunate to collaborate with many
-co-authors in many academic departments and I intend to continue this
-tradition going forward. In sum, my research uses design to contribute
-to social scientific theories of collective action, and using theories
-of collective action to influence design and offers implications and
-opportunities for a broad range of disciplines and fields.
+co-authors in many academic departments and I intend to continue going
+forward. In sum, my research uses design to contribute to social
+scientific theories of collective action, and uses theories of
+collective action to influence design. I believe my work offers
+implications and opportunities for a broad range of disciplines and
+fields.
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