Be a contributor or consumer? Effects of subscription on user engagement in knowledge-sharing communities

IF 12.5 1区社会学 Q1 SOCIAL ISSUES

Technology in Society Pub Date : 2025-09-18 DOI:10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103063

Mingli Zhang , Xinjia Tong , Yan Zhang , Yu Wang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

In knowledge-sharing communities, understanding the dynamic impact of subscription on user behavior has become a critical focus for platform management. While existing studies primarily addressed on the motivations behind subscription decisions and continued usage, there is a lack of research on how users' engagement behaviors evolve after subscribing. This paper investigates the transformative effects of users' identity transitions during the subscription process on their engagement behavior, with a particular emphasis on content contribution. Leveraging a dataset of 380,580 users' behavioral records over 32 weeks on Zhihu, we examine users' engagement patterns during the subscription process based on identity theory. By employing dynamic propensity score matching (dynamic PSM) and staggered difference-in-differences (staggered DID) models, our study reveals that subscriptions have a negative impact on users’ content contribution behavior, while simultaneously fostering a positive effect on content organization behavior. Our findings offer analysis of the implications of subscriptions on user engagement within knowledge-sharing communities, providing actionable insights for platform management.

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做贡献者还是消费者？订阅对知识共享社区用户参与的影响

在知识共享社区中，了解订阅对用户行为的动态影响已成为平台管理的关键焦点。虽然现有的研究主要关注订阅决策和持续使用背后的动机，但缺乏关于用户订阅后粘性行为如何演变的研究。本文研究了订阅过程中用户身份转换对其参与行为的变革性影响，并特别强调了内容贡献。利用知乎32周内380,580名用户的行为记录数据集，我们基于身份理论研究了用户在订阅过程中的参与模式。通过动态倾向得分匹配（dynamic PSM）和交错差分差分（交错差分DID）模型，我们发现订阅对用户的内容贡献行为具有负向影响，同时对用户的内容组织行为具有正向影响。我们的研究结果分析了订阅对知识共享社区用户参与度的影响，为平台管理提供了可行的见解。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Technology in Society Multiple-

CiteScore

17.90

自引率

14.10%

发文量

316

审稿时长

60 days

期刊介绍： Technology in Society is a global journal dedicated to fostering discourse at the crossroads of technological change and the social, economic, business, and philosophical transformation of our world. The journal aims to provide scholarly contributions that empower decision-makers to thoughtfully and intentionally navigate the decisions shaping this dynamic landscape. A common thread across these fields is the role of technology in society, influencing economic, political, and cultural dynamics. Scholarly work in Technology in Society delves into the social forces shaping technological decisions and the societal choices regarding technology use. This encompasses scholarly and theoretical approaches (history and philosophy of science and technology, technology forecasting, economic growth, and policy, ethics), applied approaches (business innovation, technology management, legal and engineering), and developmental perspectives (technology transfer, technology assessment, and economic development). Detailed information about the journal's aims and scope on specific topics can be found in Technology in Society Briefings, accessible via our Special Issues and Article Collections.