Context

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As of 2019, the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) program had recruited ∼4500 west coast residents who voluntarily participated in authentic environmental science research by monitoring 400+ beaches on a monthly basis.

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Almost half of participants withdraw within a year. Only a small amount of participants keep being involved for years. COASST team wants to know why.

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COASST hired me as a social science postdoc researcher to gain a systematic and in-depth understanding of their participants. I lead a participant research program and closely work with the program director, program manager, participant coordinator, data scientist, and collaborators from different organizations.  

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Methods and Analysis

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• Optimized, organized, and analyzed large human subject datasets (n = 1000+ samples) derived from participant survey data collection efforts from 2012 – 2017

• Informally interviewed with all COASST program managers and scientists and 10+ COASST participants

• Observed two COASST in-person trainings and one participant party

• Used mixed-methods approach to analyze longitudinal survey data

• Developed and applied qualitative codes of different types of motivation

• Used chi-square tests to compare new and seasoned participants’ motivation

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Findings

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Demographic information:

• Female dominant gender (>60%)

• Average age (>50 years old)

• The average length of participation for seasoned participants was 5 years

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Motivation for new and seasoned participants:

• Birds, and being outdoors on the beach – stay strong

• Motivation increases in

  • contributing to science

  • monitoring and observing

  • importance of COASST program results/data

• Identities as part of motivation shift towards science, and social identity – the interactive data collector

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Example figure of motivation results:

dynamic patterns of motivation for new and seasoned participants

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Impact

 

For the first time, COASST program got measurable results that show not only what attract and retain participants, but also how their motivation change as the function of engagement.

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Provided guidance for keeping participants motivated and engaged in COASST

• Be aware that participants are not only interested in the biodiversity (birds), but also strongly attached to place (beach)

• Pay attention to communicate the scientific results with participants

• Support both altruistic (helping science) and self-interest (learning and enjoyment) needs of participants

• Combine rigorous science experience with meaningful social interaction

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The full results of this study are published in a top-tier interdisciplinary journal:

He, Y., J. K. Parrish, S. Rowe, & T. Jones. (2019). Evolving interest and sense of self in an environmental citizen science program. Ecology and Society 24(2):33. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-10956-240233 [Journal h5-index: 59]

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