Abstract
The value of making research data available is broadly accepted. Policies concerning the open access to research data try to implement new norms calling for researchers to make their data more openly available. These policies either appeal to the common good or focus on publication and citation as an incentive to bring about a cultural change in how researchers share their data with their peers. But when we compare the total number of publications in the fields of science, technology and medicine with the number data publications from the same time period, the number of openly available datasets is rather small. This indicates that current policies on data sharing are not effective in changing behaviours and bringing about the wanted cultural change. By looking at research communities that are more open to data sharing we can study the social patterns that influence data sharing and point us to possible points for intervention and change.