What Influences Users’ Intention to Share Works in Designer-Driven User-Generated Content Communities? A Study Based on Self-Determination Theory

Abstract

Designer UGC (user-generated content) communities serve as the epicenter of contemporary innovation and creativity, offering a platform for a broad design community to showcase their talents, communicate, and collaborate. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this study constructs a research model aiming to delve deeply into the underlying driving factors influencing users’ intention to share their works within these communities. Through online surveys targeting UGC community users and employing structural equation modeling, this research validates the determinants affecting their sharing intentions and dissects the pathways of each influencing factor. The findings reveal that in designer UGC communities, factors such as autonomy, competence, relatedness, online social support, and value fit have a significant positive impact on users’ intention to share their works. This study offers profound insights into the intrinsic logic behind user behaviors in the design creativity domain, also providing robust guidance for the operation and management of online community platforms.