A Literature Review of Gamification. Karen A. Burns. The University of Alabama

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1 Running Head: A LITERATURE OF GAMIFICATION 1 A Literature Review of Gamification Karen A. Burns The University of Alabama

2 A LITERATURE REVIEW OF GAMIFICATION 2 A Literature Review of Gamification According to Merriam-Webster s dictionary (2015), engagement means to be involved or greatly interested. The challenge for most corporations is finding newer and better methods of engaging their employees in training programs. Gamification is becoming popular as it offers methods of interaction and enjoyment that will keep employees engaged (Sarangi & Shah, 2015). Gamification can be found in many domains such as education, business, consumer marketing, and health and fitness applications and services. Fans of gamification operate on the pretense that video games are proven motivators to keep users engaged for long periods of time (Deterding, Dixon, Khaled, & Nacke, 2011), so adding some of the standard video game elements to non-game products (i.e., instruction, consumer sales, etc.) should make them more interesting as well (Deterding et al., 2011). The intention is to achieve the same interest. This paper looks at the application of gamification within the current research as a means to actively engage users with online training programs. Reviewed are the somewhat flexible definition of gamification, examples of popular applications, key game elements most commonly used in gamification design, and the basic psychology behind what makes players interested in games. The literature review concludes with suggestions for future research and application. Article Selection Method A major challenge in selecting articles for review has been the definition and usage of the term gamification. The criteria for narrowing the search specifically included the following terms: gamif*, gamification, badges, new hire orientation, digital employee training, and online employee training. Articles and studies were selected using scholarly journals, professional

3 A LITERATURE REVIEW OF GAMIFICATION 3 organizations, and noted subject authorities. Databases searched included academia.edu, EdITLib Digital Library, Google Scholar, eric.ed.gov, and ProQuest. The date criteria are , with one exception of a 1981 paper, Toward a theory of intrinsically motivating instruction by T.W. Malone. Although the search was narrowed to peer-reviewed academic journal articles explicitly, other useful articles were identified by perusing the resources of some of the selected journal articles. Lack of Empirical Research An investigation in the current literature determined while there are some academic studies on the application of gamification, most of the empirical studies occur in educational settings (Deterding et al., 2011; Dichev, Dicheva, Angelova, & Agre, 2015; Robson, Plangger, Kietzmann, McCarthy & Pitt, 2015; Seaborn & Fels, 2015; Villagrasa, Fonseca, Redondo, & Duran, 2014) while very little has been conducted in the business sector (Rapp, 2015; Robson, et al., 2015). Robson et al. (2015) noted that there is very little in academic literature providing direction and understanding of gamifications principles and the psychology behind successful user engagement (Robson et al., 2015). Furthermore, many of the studies that have been conducted in gamification are lacking in design of controls, samples sizes and duration (Hamari, 2015). While there is little empirical research on gamification, there are many articles and case studies of its implementation that have been included in this review (Deterding, 2015). Gamification Defined Perhaps the reason for so little empirical research on gamification is that it is a relatively new term. The term gamification began appearing in non-gaming contexts in 2010 (Robson et al. 2015). Since then there has been much discussion and debate over gamification s actual definition and how it is to be applied in various contexts.

4 A LITERATURE REVIEW OF GAMIFICATION 4 While most articles generalize the definition in a non-specific context, Landers and Callan (2011) direct the definition to include educational or training programs while Hamari (2015) associates gamification with consumer services alone. Robson et al. (2015) define gamification quite differently as using lessons from games applied in non-game situations. That differs from the majority who stress using game mechanics or game elements, not the lessons from them. Sebastain Deterding is one of the leading experts in the academic study of games and gamification. The paper by Deterding et al. (2011) provides a most common definition, Gamification is the use of game design elements in non-game contexts (p. 11). During the review of literature, definitions were gathered from each paper and a word cloud ( was created to locate the most often used words in the gamification definitions. It was no surprise to find game as the most used word followed by non-game and elements. The words behavior and motivation did not appear as often as anticipated since each article reviewed made a direct connection that gamification affects the behavior and motivation of the user. A combination of the most commonly used terms in the reviewed literature reveals a definition as follows: gamification is the use of game elements and game design to motivate, engage, and guide the behavior of the user (player) in a non-game context. The terms gamify and gamified are the verb forms of gamification and represent the present and past tense respectively.

5 A LITERATURE REVIEW OF GAMIFICATION 5 Figure 1. Word Cloud from the definitions provided in each article reviewed. Word Cloud generated by Wordle.net. Gamification applications Why has gamification become so popular? People are looking for methods to make something that is otherwise not very interesting, fun (Sarangi & Shah, 2015) and engaging. Gamification provides the rewarding elements that encourage motivation and repeated behavior (Robson et al., 2015). When the experience is satisfying, players will repeat the behavior and will soon create a habit (Robson et al., 2015). Teachers use gamification methods to get students interested in school (Villagrasa et al., 2014). A game (or something that feels like a game) that is fun might motivate a player to engage with the material a little longer than they might have otherwise (Landers & Callan, 2011). Marketing professionals create gamified systems to build consumer loyalty. Mobile apps such as Ibotta and Checkout 51 give cash rebates for buying specific products at retail stores. Airlines and credit card companies give points (Landers & Callan, 2011) to their faithful customers that can be exchanged for free airline trips, merchandise or cash. Nissan Leaf encourages less energy consumption (Hamari, 2015; Robson et al., 2015). Health and fitness services like Fitocracy (Hamari & Koivisto, 2015), SparkPeople, FitBit, and Nike provide gamified apps and services to help people achieve their physical goals. Beyond the

6 A LITERATURE REVIEW OF GAMIFICATION 6 marketing applications, companies are using gamification in their employee training. Deloitte uses gameful simulations for new employees on their first day, followed by social connections with SocialCast (Klein, n.d.). Game Elements There are no set guidelines about which game design principle will be the most successful in every training program (Landers & Callan, 2011). It all depends on the subject matter, the objective, and the audience. Since gamification stems from the gaming industry, a quick review of basic game elements is a good place to start. Some of the most commonly discussed game elements in the literature include goals, challenges, feedback, and rewards. Goals: Games or gamified systems need clear goals and rules (Rapp, 2015; Villagrasa et al., 2014). Goals add purpose, reason, and measurable outcomes to a game. Within a single game can be small incremental goals that move the player to a terminal goal (Donovan, 2012). Challenges: Challenges should start easy but move to more difficult or more time intense (Landers & Callan, 2011). The player should feel that they are capable of achieving the challenge, yet the challenge cannot be so hard or too easy that the player becomes frustrated or bored and quits altogether. Feedback: Feedback within any gamified service should be immediate (Landers & Callan, 2011). Positive reinforced behavior (rewards) leads to repetition (Robson et al., 2015). There should also be corrective feedback and supportive/guiding feedback (Donovan, 2012). Rewards: Common rewards in gamification are virtual goods, points, badges, or leaderboards (Deterding, 2015; Sarangi & Shah, 2015). However, when these rewards are deemed unimportant to players, they may be motivated by tangible rewards such as discounts in restaurants (Rapp, 2015). Regardless of the rewards, the method of receiving them should be

7 A LITERATURE REVIEW OF GAMIFICATION 7 easy to understand and targeted to learning outcomes (Landers & Callan, 2011). It s also important to note that rewards that are given out too often and easily (without a challenge) quickly lose their importance (Rapp, 2015). Rewards should be matched to a difficult, yet attainable challenge (Landers & Callan, 2011). The social factor: While socialization is not one of the noted requirements for creating a gamified experience, much of the literature applies socialization methods that are critical to the success of the application or service (Deterding et al., 2011). Humans have a well-documented need for social interaction and interpersonal relationships (Landers & Callan, 2011). In their study on a gamified exercise service, Hamari and Koivisto (2015) found that social influence play a significant role in the perceived benefits of the participants. The visible engagement is validation of the service and behavior (Hamari, 2015). In a study in India with new college graduates hired by a Fortune 500 company, Depura and Garg (2012) used a combination of gamification and online socialization to provide new employee orientation information before the new employees first day at work and during their first week at the company. Since the employees were all new to the company, the information was relevant and timely. The information was presented as two different programs with both consisting of game-like elements and interactions. The successful study concluded that social interactions encourage bonding and team building, and reduces operations cost, and increases productivity (Depura & Garg, 2012). The Psychology Behind the Game It is difficult to create an engaging gamified experience without recognizing the psychological factors behind what motivates a player. Gamified programs are not necessarily

8 A LITERATURE REVIEW OF GAMIFICATION 8 game-like, but they affect the player psychologically the way that games do (Seaborn & Fels, 2015). Gamified experiences should tap into both extrinsic and intrinsic motivators. Extrinsic motivating elements are typically badges, points, and leaderboards given as rewards for completing a challenge or other various tasks. Extrinsic rewards are beneficial at the onset of an experience, but their value may eventually fade if the reward is of no value to the player (Rapp, 2015). Engagement often occurs at the beginning of a gamified experience in response to its novel approach. An example of this effect was demonstrated in a study by Rapp (2015). Participants were asked to join one of three social applications (Foursquare, Nike+, and Getglue) for one month and keep a daily diary of their interactions, satisfaction with the rewards, emotions, and overall reactions. Most of the participants were excited and motivated to engage with the applications in the beginning, but quickly disengaged. Reasons included lack of meaningful rewards, lack of variety, lack of progression, and lack of engagement. Rapp concluded that the online services only supported extrinsic motivation. In most cases, badges and leaderboards do not provide enough motivation to keep a user engaged. However, in a two-year study where badges were the only game-like addition to an already existing social network, Hamari (2015) noted significantly higher use of the gamified system. To sustain engagement, players must be intrinsically motivated (Rapp, 2015). Intrinsic motivating elements in games include challenge, fantasy, and curiosity (Malone, 1981). A car manufacturing facility in Germany used a method called the Gamification Development Process to create a board game that taught workers the assembly parts and process of a new automobile series (Kampker, Deutskens, Deutschmann, Maue & Haunreiter, 2014). After the first trial

9 A LITERATURE REVIEW OF GAMIFICATION 9 concluded, it was deemed a success, increasing the efficiency of their qualification process. Since all the participants were employees, they had an intrinsic motivation to engage in the gamification experience. The study was conducted on individuals, but the gamification approach will have big benefits to the organization as a whole. The company is continuing to push the approach to other facilities and to management processes. Another successful application of gamification was in a study by Landers and Callan (2011). They used a gamification method with a social platform to provide practice Psychology questions and exams to 385 undergraduate students. The students voluntarily supported one another through discussions, posts, chats, s, and mentoring. Their results showed strong support for the motivational and social value of gamification (Landers & Callan, 2011). Just because a player is intrinsically motivated in a gamified service doesn t guarantee the motivation will be sustained. The gamified experience will need to be adjusted to meet user expectations over time or users may become disengaged (Robson et al., 2015). Criticism For all the fans of gamification, there are a few that dispute its claims. Ian Bogust is a serious gamer and game developer. He is also one of gamification s biggest adversaries. In his extensive rant in a post on gamasutra.com (2011), Bogust called gamification a marketing gimmick (para. 6) and suggested the name be changed to exploitationware (Exploitationware, para. 8). He claims gamification devalues the client/user relationship and strips away all trust. Others, in reference to the common use of points, badges, and leaderboards, have used the term pointsification to describe the gamified approach (Seaborn & Fels, 2015, p. 18). There are other factors to consider when selecting a gamification system or even deciding if gamification is the right application. While it can motivate users to engage with a learning

10 A LITERATURE REVIEW OF GAMIFICATION 10 module, course, or service, not everyone will respond positively (Spencer, 2013). This can be due to factors including generation (Landers & Callan, 2011), personality type (introvert vs. extrovert) (Rapp, 2015; Spencer, 2013) and even gender (Spencer, 2013). In some implementations, gamification is treated as individual competition where a few users excel yet others barely make it onto the leaderboard (Rapp, 2015; Spencer, 2013). Conclusion The research in this paper shows that gamification is not just a passing fad, but is spreading into multiple domains including the classroom, employee learning systems, and business marketing campaigns. Although there are minor differences, a general definition has been established among the leading experts and it has been applied in a variety of services. We have reviewed some of the key gaming elements most commonly used in gamification design and discussed the basic psychology behind human motivation. Throughout the paper, we have presented current research findings from the literature reviewed. The overall general findings indicate that gamification can improve and sustain user motivation and engagement. However, it is unclear what specific game design principle or element leads to the greatest motivation and engagement. The two elements most often stated as critical to successfully gamified programs are clear goals and frequent feedback. Socialization can be an effective element, but may not be relevant or applicable in all situations. Gamification provides a broad opportunity for future studies because of the lack of current academic research and varying definitions (Seaborn & Fels, 2015). Further studies are being conducted to explore the psychology behind gamefulness and what motivates people to play games. As discovered by the original literature search, there are many studies conducted in education disciplines, however, there is a great deal lacking from the business arena.

11 A LITERATURE REVIEW OF GAMIFICATION 11 When the author began this literature review, the search string included new hire orientation but little research was found, either applied or empirical. Vendors such as MindTickle ( and Bunchball ( specifically push their gamification products as being the perfect solution for new hire orientation programs, yet there are only a handful of case studies. It is important to understand the purpose and objectives behind using gamification on any system. Designers who implement the right mix of social interactions, challenge, reward, and provide engaging course design have a better chance at creating a successful gamified experience for the players.

12 A LITERATURE REVIEW OF GAMIFICATION 12 References Bogust, I. (2011). Persuasive games: Exploitationware. Retrieved from Browne, K., Anand, C., & Gosse, E. (2014). Gamification and serious game approaches for adult literacy tablet software. Entertainment Computing, 5(3), doi: /j.entcom Depura, K., & Garg, M. (2012). Application of online gamification to new hire onboarding. Proceedings from the 2012 Third International Conference on Services in Emerging Markets, doi: /icsem Deterding, S. (2015). The lens of intrinsic skill atoms: A method for gameful design. Human Computer Interaction, 30(3-4), doi: / Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness. Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference on Envisioning Future Media Environments - MindTrek '11, September 28-30, 2011 (pp 9-15), Tampere, Finland. doi: / Dichev, C., Dicheva, D., Angelova, G., & Agre, G. (2015). From gamification to gameful design and gameful experience in learning. Cybernetics and Information Technologies, 14(4), doi: /cait Donovan, Lynda (2012). The use of serious games in the corporate sector. Learnovate Centre, Dublin, Ireland. Hamari, J. (2015). Do badges increase user activity? A field experiment on the effects of gamification. Computers in Human Behavior, doi: /j.chb

13 A LITERATURE REVIEW OF GAMIFICATION 13 Hamari, J., & Koivisto, J. (2015). Working out for likes : An empirical study on social influence in exercise gamification. Computers in Human Behavior, 50, doi: /j.chb Kampker, A., Deutskens, C., Deutschmann, K., Maue, A., & Haunreiter, A. (2014). Increasing ramp-up performance by implementing the gamification approach. Procedia CIRP, 20, doi: /j.procir Kapp, K. (2014). Gamification: Separating fact from fiction. Chief Learning Officer, 13(3), Retrieved from 883&site=eds-live&scope=site Klein, K. (n.d.). Strategies for success: Onboarding games and simulations. Retrieved from Landers, R. N., & Callan, R. C. (2011). Casual social games as serious games: The psychology of gamification in undergraduate education and employee training. Serious Games and Edutainment Applications (pp ). New York: Springer. doi: / _20 Malone, T. W. (1981). Toward a theory of intrinsically motivating instruction. Cognitive Science, 1981(4), doi: /s (81) Merriam-Webster s dictionary (2015). Retrieved 7/22/2015. Rapp, A. (2015). A qualitative investigation of gamification: Motivational factors in online gamified services and applications. International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction, 11(1), doi: /ijthi

14 A LITERATURE REVIEW OF GAMIFICATION 14 Robson, K., Plangger, K., Kietzmann, J. H., McCarthy, I., & Pitt, L. (2015). Is it all a game? Understanding the principles of gamification. Business Horizons, 58(4), doi: /j.bushor Sarangi, S., & Shah, S. (2015). Individuals, teams and organizations score with gamification. Human Resource Management International Digest, 23(4), doi: /hrmid Seaborn, K., & Fels, D. I. (2015). Gamification in theory and action: A survey. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 74, doi: /j.ijhcs Spencer, R. W. (2013). Work is not a game. Research-Technology Management, 56(6), doi: / x Villagrasa, S., Fonseca, D., Redondo, E., & Duran, J. (2014). Teaching case of gamification and visual technologies for education. Journal of Cases on Information Technology, 16(4), doi: /jcit Wordle.net. Retrieved 7/26/2015.