{"title":"Why do users continually seek knowledge in online Q&A communities? An empirical investigation","authors":"Jiahua Jin, Tingting Zhang, Xiangbin Yan","doi":"10.1108/idd-04-2021-0042","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"\nPurpose\nOnline Q&A communities have been widely highlighted as an important knowledge exchange market. Although motivations for users’ initial knowledge-seeking behavior have been widely investigated, the factors that affect online Q&A users’ continued knowledge-seeking behavior are still vague. This study aims to investigate the factors that affect users continuously seeking knowledge from online social Q&A communities.\n\n\nDesign/methodology/approach\nBased on social information processing theory, social capital theory, social exchange theory and social cognitive theory, this study used a negative binomial regression model to explore what would affect people’s continued knowledge-seeking behavior. Empirical data was collected from a popular Chinese online social Q&A community.\n\n\nFindings\nThe results indicate that while previous knowledge sharing behavior, peer responses for previous seeking behavior, identity-based trust have a positive impact on knowledge-seeking behaviors, social exposure has a negative impact. In addition, self-presentation negatively moderates the relationship between social exposure and knowledge-seeking behavior.\n\n\nOriginality/value\nThis study contributed to the theoretical basis for knowledge-seeking behavior in online Q&A communities. The research findings can be used to derive guidelines for the development and operation of online social Q&A communities.\n","PeriodicalId":43488,"journal":{"name":"Information Discovery and Delivery","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2022-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"3","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Information Discovery and Delivery","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/idd-04-2021-0042","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"INFORMATION SCIENCE & LIBRARY SCIENCE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 3
Abstract
Purpose
Online Q&A communities have been widely highlighted as an important knowledge exchange market. Although motivations for users’ initial knowledge-seeking behavior have been widely investigated, the factors that affect online Q&A users’ continued knowledge-seeking behavior are still vague. This study aims to investigate the factors that affect users continuously seeking knowledge from online social Q&A communities.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on social information processing theory, social capital theory, social exchange theory and social cognitive theory, this study used a negative binomial regression model to explore what would affect people’s continued knowledge-seeking behavior. Empirical data was collected from a popular Chinese online social Q&A community.
Findings
The results indicate that while previous knowledge sharing behavior, peer responses for previous seeking behavior, identity-based trust have a positive impact on knowledge-seeking behaviors, social exposure has a negative impact. In addition, self-presentation negatively moderates the relationship between social exposure and knowledge-seeking behavior.
Originality/value
This study contributed to the theoretical basis for knowledge-seeking behavior in online Q&A communities. The research findings can be used to derive guidelines for the development and operation of online social Q&A communities.
期刊介绍:
Information Discovery and Delivery covers information discovery and access for digital information researchers. This includes educators, knowledge professionals in education and cultural organisations, knowledge managers in media, health care and government, as well as librarians. The journal publishes research and practice which explores the digital information supply chain ie transport, flows, tracking, exchange and sharing, including within and between libraries. It is also interested in digital information capture, packaging and storage by ‘collectors’ of all kinds. Information is widely defined, including but not limited to: Records, Documents, Learning objects, Visual and sound files, Data and metadata and , User-generated content.