A citizen scientist intra-acting with a frog and other ecological entities as a participant of the citizen science
program FrogID through the Australian Museum.
Photo Credit: Jodi Rowley

By Katie Moon, Sophie Yates, Corey T. Callaghan, and Maureen Thompson.

Read the full paper here.

In this research, we explore the dynamics of citizen science by applying the philosophical framework of agential realism, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of all entities. We identify three key elements of how agential realism applies to citizen science: (1) ‘intra-action,’ emphasizing the interconnected agency of all entities; (2) ‘material becoming,’ highlighting what becomes meaningful; and (3) ‘responsibility,’ emphasizing accountability for inclusion and exclusion of data.

We apply the agential realism framework to the FrogID program, a citizen science initiative in Australia with 42,000 participants and over a million frog records. Our study reveals a complex picture of how data emerges within citizen science programs and its significance to both scientific practices and participants.

Through interviews with 30 FrogID users, we discover that participants become deeply engaged with the nocturnal environment, sound, and self as a result of their recording behaviors. Expanding and reciprocal relationships and experiences shape the nature and frequency of recordings. Meaning plays a pivotal role in what participants record and submit. We uncover different forms of meaning related to feedback, social networks, and personal well-being, influencing engagement with the app. Participants express responsibilities tied to their involvement in citizen science, including responsibility to create knowledge, to conserve frog habitat and Nature more generally, and to educate self and others.

In conclusion, agential realism provides a more comprehensive perspective on citizen science, revealing when, why, and how observations are made and how these observations contribute to creating a more just world. We suggest three opportunities for citizen science programs based on these insights, aiming to enhance participation, retention, and biodiversity data generation.