How gamification motivates: An experimental study of the effects of specific game design elements on psychological need satisfaction

TLDR

Gamification seeks to enhance motivation and performance in non‑gaming contexts, a goal supported by prior research, yet earlier studies have treated it as a generic construct, overlooking the diverse effects of individual game‑design elements. The study aims to test how specific game‑design elements influence psychological need satisfaction using a self‑determination theory framework in a randomized controlled online simulation. The authors conducted a randomized controlled experiment in an online simulation, systematically varying configurations of game‑design elements and measuring their impact on basic psychological need fulfillment. The experiment found that badges, leaderboards, and performance graphs enhanced competence and task meaningfulness, while avatars, stories, and teammates promoted social relatedness, but decision freedom remained unchanged, supporting the view that gamification’s effectiveness depends on specific elements rather than the construct itself.

Abstract

The main aim of gamification, i.e. the implementation of game design elements in real-world contexts for non-gaming purposes, is to foster human motivation and performance in regard to a given activity. Previous research, although not entirely conclusive, generally supports the hypothesis underlying this aim. However, previous studies have often treated gamification as a generic construct, neglecting the fact that there are many different game design elements which can result in very diverse applications. Based on a self-determination theory framework, we present the results of a randomized controlled study that used an online simulation environment. We deliberately varied different configurations of game design elements, and analysed them in regard to their effect on the fulfilment of basic psychological needs. Our results show that badges, leaderboards, and performance graphs positively affect competence need satisfaction, as well as perceived task meaningfulness, while avatars, meaningful stories, and teammates affect experiences of social relatedness. Perceived decision freedom, however, could not be affected as intended. We interpret these findings as general support for our main hypothesis that gamification is not effective per se, but that specific game design elements have specific psychological effects. Consequences for further research, in particular the importance of treatment checks, are discussed.