Mechanical Turk and the gig economy: exploring differences between gig workers
Journal of Managerial Psychology
ISSN: 0268-3946
Article publication date: 14 June 2019
Issue publication date: 23 July 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an investigation of how different types of gig workers engage in the gig economy. Specifically, the authors distinguish between workers who view gig work as primary income (or not) and those workers who view it as a job (or not).
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 1,190 Mechanical Turk (MTurk) workers completed surveys across two studies examining whether types of workers differ based on demographic characteristics, utilization of MTurk, why they participate in the gig economy on MTurk (i.e. push and pull factors) and how this impacts life satisfaction.
Findings
Workers relying on MTurk as a primary income had lower incomes and spent more time completing large numbers of work units. This group of workers also reported fewer pull factors (e.g. enjoyment) as a reason for working in the gig economy and had lower levels of self-reported current and predicted future life satisfaction. Individuals who view MTurk as a job were more likely to treat MTurk like a job – engaging in online communities and having a regular work schedule. These workers were more likely to report pull factors (e.g. enjoyment and challenge) and did not differ on life satisfaction.
Originality/value
The current research contributes to our understanding of MTurk, one of the largest online platforms for gig work, as part of the diverse gig economy and highlights potential areas for future research.
Keywords
Citation
Keith, M.G., Harms, P. and Tay, L. (2019), "Mechanical Turk and the gig economy: exploring differences between gig workers", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 286-306. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-06-2018-0228
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited