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Community, Time, and (Con)text: A Dynamical Systems Analysis of Online Communication and Community Health among
Alexandra Paxton1,2, Nelle Varoquaux3, Chris Holdgraf4,5
1Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut.
Cognitive Science
|May 17, 2022
Summary
Newcomers are more likely to return to open-source software projects when they experience positive sentiment and gratitude. Community responses are key, especially during initial interactions, impacting volunteer retention in crucial digital infrastructure.
Area of Science:
- Computer Science
- Sociology
- Computational Linguistics
Background:
- Free and open-source software (FOSS) is vital digital infrastructure, relying on unpaid volunteers.
- Volunteer retention is a challenge for FOSS projects, impacting sustainability.
- Open collaborative platforms offer rich data for studying community dynamics and language.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how language dynamics, specifically sentiment and gratitude, influence newcomer retention in FOSS projects.
- To apply a dynamical systems perspective to understand language use in online communities.
- To examine the role of community membership and communicative context in shaping language impact.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of communication data from open collaborative development platforms.
- Application of dynamical systems theory to model language evolution.
- Quantitative assessment of sentiment and gratitude expressions.
- Statistical analysis of newcomer interaction and return behavior.
Main Results:
- Language dynamics, including sentiment and gratitude, significantly affect newcomers' decisions to return.
- The impact of community responses on newcomers is context-dependent, particularly influenced by initial interactions.
- Community membership and communicative context modulate the effect of language on retention.
Conclusions:
- Positive language, such as expressions of gratitude, can improve volunteer retention in FOSS projects.
- Understanding and managing community communication dynamics is crucial for sustaining open-source software development.
- Targeted interventions during newcomers' initial engagement can enhance long-term community participation.
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