Creators: Receive Validation

Initial evidence suggests that a creator’s online validation increases perceptions of ability. People’s beliefs in their ability increase when they have successful experiences and receive public recognition of their success [36]. An informant who sought funds for a youth photography workshop documenting neighborhood improvements commented on the effect of crowdfunding on his confidence to complete the project:

“I feel much more confident about my ability to do it [his project]”

An informant describes her experience before launching her project and how her confidence increased through online conversation.

“You sort of wonder if people are going to like you and like your research, and so I definitely got more confident once people were clearly interested in it and clearly engaging in the dialogue and supporting me financially.”

A founder of RocketHub describes how validation occurs. Funders seek funds from a community of people who care not just about the project, but about the individual’s success. The founder explains:

“You are embedding yourself in an active community…you are being validated…Friends and families become evangelists for you…these are completely normal people [creators] and they are working way outside their comfort zone…With crowdfunding, you are allowing people to do something…You have people saying, I believe in you.”

Online validation supports perceptions of ability and pushes people to expand capability. This finding is consistent with social cognitive theory, which suggests that people build beliefs in their ability through social interactions [36]. This finding is supported by prior research in online communities, which finds that people engage in these communities to build self-esteem [22].