What You Do is What You Are: The Foundation of User Identity in Online Collective Action

Abstract

The mature Web 2.0 platforms and prevalent use enable online users to engage in diverse knowledge co-creation and collaborative activities. Online users\u27 presence and identities are not a mere online version of their offline self but can be formed from their online participation and activities. This study explores how user identity during online collective action is formed from user activities in various online behavior settings using the case of Wikipedia. We investigated user activities in three behavior settings in Wikipedia—knowledge contribution, self-presentation, and collective action. The number of activities specific to each behavior setting was a significant antecedent of forming user identity. In particular, user identity formed from knowledge contribution activities has a significant influence on collective action, whereas user identity from self-presentation does not influence collective action. Theoretical and practical implications of this research were discussed