Interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for Q&A behaviour on an academic social networking site: qualitative evidence from Researchgate

Purpose This article aims to explore how intrinsic and extrinsic motivations interact to shape scholars’ Q&A behaviour on an academic social networking site (ASNS). It seeks to understand the motivational dynamics underlying academic engagement in digitally mediated environments, with a particular focus on ResearchGate. Design/methodology/approach The authors adopted a qualitative methodology combining semi-structured interviews with non-participant observation. About 32 active ResearchGate users across diverse disciplines were interviewed during a three-month data collection period, supplemented by longitudinal observation of Q&A threads. Data analysis was guided by self-determination theory and motivation crowding theory, which were employed as interpretive frameworks to sensitively explore how intrinsic and extrinsic motivations were shaped, reinforced or undermined by contextual features of academic social networking sites. Findings The authors identified academic knowledge self-efficacy and altruistic orientation as key intrinsic motivations, whereas peer influence, domain knowledge visibility, status recognition and platform feedback function as extrinsic motivators. Importantly, the findings showed how extrinsic cues might either reinforce or undermine intrinsic motivations through crowding-in and crowding-out mechanisms. These effects were shaped by perceived alignment with academic norms, disciplinary cultures and platform affordances. Originality/value This article advances the theoretical understanding of motivations in digital scholarly practices by integrating motivation crowding theory with the logic of academic identity and content production. It provides a conceptual framework for understanding motivational interplay on ASNSs. The findings contribute novel empirical insights into the nuanced motivational dynamics of ASNS use through a qualitative lens.