Online Altruism (peer-reviewed paper)
Peer-reviewed paper in Minds and Machines on altruistic behavior in online communities.
This research project laid the foundations for a novel definition of online altruism, drawing on case studies across a few online platforms.
I first-authored a peer-reviewed paper in Minds and Machines, a top journal for AI, philosophy, and cognitive science. Open access at Springer Nature.
Online altruism is a distinct phenomenon. People give to anonymous strangers online because seeing direct, individual impact is more fulfilling than donating to abstract causes, and the internet enables mechanisms (storytelling, instant payment, profile-vetting) that traditional giving doesn’t have.
Abstract:
Altruism is a well-studied phenomenon in the social sciences, but online altruism has received relatively little attention. In this article, we examine several cases of online altruism, and analyse the key characteristics of the phenomenon, in particular comparing and contrasting it against models of traditional donor behaviour. We suggest a novel definition of online altruism, and provide an in-depth, mixed-method study of a significant case, represented by the r/Assistance subreddit. We argue that online altruism can be characterized by its differing experiences compared to traditional giving, from a giver’s point of view, and unique mechanisms and actions made possible by the internet. These findings explain why people give to anonymous strangers online and provide a new perspective on altruism that is important in building a more altruistic internet and society.
