Who likes to learn new things? How Gamification User Types and Satisfaction but not the frustration of basic psychological needs explain the preference for learning new things

Abstract

The concept of gamification, the use of game elements to improve performance in real-life tasks (such as learning), has been investigated thoroughly. Yet, the results are mixed with a tendency to be cautiously optimistic when it comes to how one can benefit from an application of gamification in education. The research shows that two factors are responsible for the unclear relationship: the context and gamification and the individual characteristics of the users. The purpose of this study was to investigate further the latter one. We tested the relationship between the Self Determination Theory (Basic Psychological Needs) and Gamification motives with a preference for learning new things (PLNT). We hypothesised a mediation effect between the needs and PLNT via gamification motives. Eight hundred seventy-three participants took part in the study, aged between 18 and 24 years old, 34 % were women. We employed two standardised instruments: The Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale and The Gamification User Types Hexad Scale, and three questions to measure PLNT. The results showed that only autonomy satisfaction and competence satisfaction predict the PLNT. Furthermore, gamification motives did mediate the relationship between the need and the PLNT. Still, in a limited way – three motives constructed a meta-motive (related to reward, autonomy and purpose) and mediated only the relationship between competence satisfaction and the PLNT.In contrast, the need for autonomy satisfaction directly predicted the PLNT. Whether certain needs and motivations help students learn new things or approach learning new things with keen interest remains an open question. Our study suggests that some needs and motivations might be more related to PLNT, but it may be so for reasons we were unable to test for, for instance, due to adaptive processes. This would, in turn, suggest that, much like in the case of values and their relation to happiness, it is not only the profile of needs and motivations that shape students' learning experience but rather the opportunity created for those students (by their teachers and by the system) to follow the needs and motivations they naturally have.