The Sharing Compulsion

We've all done it, fired off an interesting email, plastered a link on facebook because we think it might interest others, or taken a picture and uploaded to show the world your latest visual treasure. Perhaps even just clicked "like" or now "+1" against a particularly interesting Social Media titbit (unwittingly promoting and sharing it with your own connections).

With the currency of internet sharing now flowing freely, it got me thinking about how this human behaviour came about. The idea of electronic or internet sharing is of course a relatively modern concept, however upon consideration the human compulsion which drives it is not new at all. For hundreds of years we have basically demonstrated our appreciation of interesting material through the medium of clapping or cheering. When we witness something that is sufficiently compelling, we put our hands together in a spontaneous (and public) demonstration of our endorsement. Likewise we have been compelled to praise high achievement or interesting content in the form of newspapers, television and radio for many years.

My suggestion is that the subconscious rationale for public endorsement is ultimately the same in all the scenarios above, and what we now witness daily online is in many ways the most natural extension yet of the human disposition for sharing. There are a huge range of ways to quickly share information between your internet peers. A few great examples I have come across are below:

The Google Chrome Share button extension

A great tool for quickly sharing a webpage or content to any one of your networks or email accounts. Auto populates the subject field or post description saving precious seconds for the avid sharer.

4shared file sharing system:

Well integrated and cleverly designed, 4shared gives you an easy way to share and access files accross desktop computers and mobile devices alike. Perfect for those wanting to share larger files or something only stored locally on your machine.

Pinterest online pinboard

A recent find for me, an easy signup online personal pinboard. Allows you to quickly and easily add visual content you would like to share and also pick up on others shared images. A great way to chuck out some of your visual treats and the design of the site makes it a hotbed for sharing without being overwhelming.

By no means do I profess to be an expert in the psychology behind the sharing compulsion. However the New York Times recently knocked up a study that explored the motivation and personalities involved in our latest gregarious revolution. One interesting point raised is that 85% of recipients said material which is shared multiple times gains a sort of human hallmark from peers which allows readers to better grasp and understand the information. A really interesting concept for those using social media and sharing to promote their brand material.

The study also highlights a kind of 'socially responsible sharing', with 94% saying they are careful about what they share and how useful it might be to others, and 84% sharing to show direct support to a cause which is close to their heart.

So the culture of sharing develops in our bustling online world. Ultimately it would seem that the trend will only increase, hopefully improving the wealth of knowledge we can digest as individuals, but also providing increasing capacity for brands and Businesses to grow through engagement with people who are genuinely interested in their offerings.