Gamifying sustainability: motivating pro-environmental behavior change through gamification. Case of JouleBug.
Kisurina, Anastasiia (2017)
Pro gradu -tutkielma
Kisurina, Anastasiia
2017
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe201705236831
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe201705236831
Tiivistelmä
Living in the world that faces severe environmental problems makes people consider and
adjust their actions. Researchers have been trying to address the issues of behavior change
in a variety of studies, although there is still little knowledge about the applicability of
gamification in the context of environmental sustainability. For this reason, the main
objective of the present mixed-method research is to explore the process of gamification for
motivating pro-environmental behavior change. The study takes abductive approach and
focuses on creating a theoretical framework, based on existing data and empirical findings.
The theoretical part of the research provides insights on the topics of gamification,
motivation, behavior change, and pro-environmental being and defines the main theories and
models, utilized for the formation of the framework. In the meantime, the empirical part
involves the description of the case study - mobile application JouleBug, and the findings on
the users’ gamified experience. Combined together, obtained theoretical and practical data
open up the discussion that serves as a solid basis for answering the stated research questions.
The research results suggest that gamification as such is a staged process that consists of
much preparation, analysis and ideation work in order to design successful and useful project
that would benefit both the developers of the gamified experience and its users. In order to
address behavior change, it is essential to evaluate the possible behavioral factors and
motivation techniques, as well as major barriers and motive to perform pro-environmental
behavior. The study provides the set of potentially significant influential factors, identifies
the possible outcomes of gamifying sustainable behavior, thereby as a valid theoretical
foundation for further research and practical implementation.
adjust their actions. Researchers have been trying to address the issues of behavior change
in a variety of studies, although there is still little knowledge about the applicability of
gamification in the context of environmental sustainability. For this reason, the main
objective of the present mixed-method research is to explore the process of gamification for
motivating pro-environmental behavior change. The study takes abductive approach and
focuses on creating a theoretical framework, based on existing data and empirical findings.
The theoretical part of the research provides insights on the topics of gamification,
motivation, behavior change, and pro-environmental being and defines the main theories and
models, utilized for the formation of the framework. In the meantime, the empirical part
involves the description of the case study - mobile application JouleBug, and the findings on
the users’ gamified experience. Combined together, obtained theoretical and practical data
open up the discussion that serves as a solid basis for answering the stated research questions.
The research results suggest that gamification as such is a staged process that consists of
much preparation, analysis and ideation work in order to design successful and useful project
that would benefit both the developers of the gamified experience and its users. In order to
address behavior change, it is essential to evaluate the possible behavioral factors and
motivation techniques, as well as major barriers and motive to perform pro-environmental
behavior. The study provides the set of potentially significant influential factors, identifies
the possible outcomes of gamifying sustainable behavior, thereby as a valid theoretical
foundation for further research and practical implementation.