Citizen scientists

1. Motivations at different stages of contribution

1.1. The motivation for initial contribution to a collective project are different than the motives for sustained participation.

2. scientific projects that receive voluntary contributions from members

3. Motivations of citizen-science volunteers

3.1. Learning about science

3.1.1. most citizen-science projects are designed to help citizen scientists learn scientific knowledge to some degree

3.1.2. Volunteers are motivated by “the opportunity to learn more and widen their scientific horizons"

3.2. Contributing to science

3.2.1. Volunteers are more motivated by their contribution to science than by the possibility to learn about science or to help scientists

3.3. Joining a community

3.3.1. Humans seek the community of others.

3.3.2. When people notice that many other people engage in some activity, they perceive it as a social norm to follow.

3.4. Helping scientists

3.4.1. Making contribution to the projects is a way to help professional scientists achieve their goals.

3.4.2. Volunteers participate in the project not for themselves, but for something else.