Why do we participate in group projects?
After yesterday’s post asking people for their ideas for group projects, I got thinking about why people do things in groups in the first place.
Obviously, people can do things in groups that they can’t do individually (e.g. constructing buildings, Wikipedia.org, fundraising campaigns) because a single person lacks the strength, reach, knowledge, and so on to tackle something larger than himself or herself. Therefore, group work is mandatory for many big tasks.
Motivation for doing things often falls into the categories of:
- Survival/threat – if I don’t do this thing, I’ll die or lose something very important to me
- Compensation – if I do this thing, I’ll get money or goods and services in kind
- Curiosity – I want to find out what will happen
- Intrinsic motivation (i.e. a sense of accomplishment; desire to take on a new challenge)
I’m curious: are there any other reasons that you can think of that would lead a person to donate some of their cognitive surplus to a group project, particularly if there’s no obvious form of compensation?
JayCruz:
There's “Egoboo” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egoboo but that's just another form of intrinsic motivation. I think the four things that you mention are about it.
20 March 2009, 11:34 amMark Dykeman:
EGOBOO – now there's a term I haven't thought of in years! And it fits!
20 March 2009, 12:01 pmAri Herzog:
Is not your blog–and the interactive comments herein–a group activity?
21 March 2009, 12:34 pmMark Dykeman:
In a sense, I suppose, but each individual is not necessarily aiming for the same end objective. But I do enjoy it when other people jump into the conversations!
21 March 2009, 5:08 pmGard:
A sense of belonging to a group is also a strong reason to do something. Re: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/dan_ariely_o...
22 March 2009, 5:52 pm