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How question type influences knowledge withholding in social Q&A community

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  • Xing Zhang
  • Durong Wang
  • Yuyao Tang
  • Quan Xiao

Abstract

Social question‐and‐answer (Q&A) communities are becoming increasingly important for knowledge acquisition. However, some users withhold knowledge, which can hinder the effectiveness of these platforms. Based on social exchange theory, the study investigates how different types of questions influence knowledge withholding, with question difficulty and user anonymity as boundary conditions. Two experiments were conducted to test hypotheses. Results indicate that informational questions are more likely to lead to knowledge withholding than conversational ones, as they elicit more fear of negative evaluation and fear of exploitation. The study also examines the interplay of question difficulty and user anonymity with question type. Overall, this study significantly extends the existing literature on counterproductive knowledge behavior by exploring the antecedents of knowledge withholding in social Q&A communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Xing Zhang & Durong Wang & Yuyao Tang & Quan Xiao, 2023. "How question type influences knowledge withholding in social Q&A community," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 74(10), pages 1170-1184, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jinfst:v:74:y:2023:i:10:p:1170-1184
    DOI: 10.1002/asi.24813
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