Jiang, Lingqing and Zhu, Zhen (2022) Information Exchange and Multiple Peer Groups: A Natural Experiment in an Online Community. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 203. pp. 543-562. DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2022.09.019
Jiang, Lingqing and Zhu, Zhen (2022) Information Exchange and Multiple Peer Groups: A Natural Experiment in an Online Community. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 203. pp. 543-562. DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2022.09.019
Jiang, Lingqing and Zhu, Zhen (2022) Information Exchange and Multiple Peer Groups: A Natural Experiment in an Online Community. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 203. pp. 543-562. DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2022.09.019
Abstract
We utilise a quasi-experimental setup to identify causal effects of having additional peer groups on information exchange in a large online maternity community. The information exchange is a key performance indicator for the community as well as a public good among users. Pregnant users join default peer groups based on estimated due date (EDD). Natural uncertainties of EDD can lead to multiple peer groups. Using EDD as an instrumental variable, we find that additional peer group(s) reduces information exchange in both default peer group and total peer groups. Having more advanced groups mitigates the reduction, likely due to information spillovers.
Item Type: | Article |
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Uncontrolled Keywords: | peer groups, information exchange, natural experiment, instrumental variables, online communities |
Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics, Department of |
SWORD Depositor: | Unnamed user with email elements@essex.ac.uk |
Depositing User: | Unnamed user with email elements@essex.ac.uk |
Date Deposited: | 11 Oct 2022 10:07 |
Last Modified: | 16 May 2024 21:28 |
URI: | http://repository.essex.ac.uk/id/eprint/33528 |
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