Virtual Reward Research Articles

Leveraging TikTok for active learning in management education: An extended technology acceptance model approach

This study investigates the role of TikTok, a prominent short-form video platform, in facilitating active learning intention within management education. Employing an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research examines how perceived ease of use, usefulness, playfulness, interactivity, immersion, and virtual reward enhance students' active learning intention. Data collected from 414 students majoring in international business across two universities in China reveal that perceived ease of use and usefulness significantly influence interactivity, while virtual rewards impact immersion and playfulness, further influencing students' active learning intention. The study developed a new scale to measure active learning intention in TikTok usage, rigorously validating its reliability and validity through pre-testing and statistical analyses. Furthermore, the research uncovers the moderating role of novelty experience in the relationship between these factors and active learning intention. The findings offer significant implications for integrating emerging technologies like TikTok into management education, highlighting the need for pedagogical strategies that leverage the unique features of social media platforms for creating and sharing short videos to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. By providing empirical evidence and a discussion of the practical implications, this research contributes to advancing the understanding of digital pedagogies in management education and encourages exploring innovative teaching methods to promote management learning in the digital era.

A Two-Stage co-Design Process of Battleship-AST Persuasive Game for Active School Transportation in Northern Sweden

This research delves into the dynamics of active school transport (AST) by utilizing a two-stage co-design process and leveraging persuasive technology within a game for promoting AST called Battleship-AST. The primary aim of this research is to thoroughly investigate the two-stage game co-design process employed in creating a Battleship-AST game. Moreover, our research aims to evaluate participants’ perceptions regarding the motivating and engaging potential of the persuasive technology and gamification features embedded within the final iteration of the game. This evaluation aims to understand how these features influence participants’ motivation to increase their usage of AST through gameplay. In pursuit of these objectives, the research builds upon the existing Battleship-AST prototype and actively engages school children in a collaborative two-stage co-design process. Their valuable insights and preferences were harnessed in refining the game, which was subsequently tested during a tech event in Skellefteå, Sweden. The findings shed light on various aspects of the game’s impact, from its reception to the gamification features integrated within. Notably, the research highlights the positive impact of the co-design process, with increased motivation and engagement observed among the participants. Their involvement in shaping the game’s design resulted in a more engaging and enjoyable experience. The persuasive technology features, encompassing competition, collaboration, auditory cues, a virtual reward system, and an emphasis on similarity, played a pivotal role in sustaining engagement and motivating players. Elements such as rewards, leaderboard progression, and badges proved highly effective in encouraging continued participation and fostering a positive feedback loop. However, the study also identifies areas for potential improvement, including the need to measure real-life progress and refine the game’s levelling system. The research indicates that refining feedback mechanisms and tailoring game content to individual preferences could create an even more engaging experience. Additionally, long-term playtesting is proposed to assess the game’s extended impact. The findings offer promising avenues for enhancing motivation and engagement in AST, which can contribute to the promotion of healthier and more sustainable transportation choices among school children.

Exploring effects of intelligent recommendation, interactivity, and playfulness on learning engagement: An application of TikTok considering the meditation of anxiety and moderation of virtual reward

The rise of short video applications such as TikTok has brought new opportunities to maximize student learning experiences in online learning environments. Meanwhile, literature that explores its potential to foster student engagement is scarce. To understand the effect of short video applications on students' learning engagement, we take Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) as an example to include user experience variables (i.e., playfulness, satisfaction, anxiety) and technology features variables (i.e., interactivity and virtual reward). Five hundred-two valid questionnaire responses were collected from Chinese undergraduates. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) to test the hypothesis. Overall, learning anxiety has a negative effect on learning engagement, whereas learning satisfaction has a positive effect. Virtual reward has a negative moderating effect on the relationship between interaction and anxiety. Still, it positively moderates the relationship between satisfaction and learning engagement. In addition, both years of using a mobile phone and TikTok positively influence learning engagement. Collectively, the proposed model was supported and provided empirical evidence regarding the importance of user experience and product features (such as Intelligent recommendation and virtual reward) on student engagement. Implications for theories and teaching practice and limitations were discussed.

A Pre-Post, Mixed-Methods Study to Pilot Test a Gamified Heart Failure Self-Care Education Intervention.

Objective: Self-care is essential to improving heart failure patient outcomes. However, the knowledge and behaviours necessary for self-care decision making, such as symptom perception and management, are complex and require patient education. The objective of this study was to test the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of a web-based, gamified heart failure patient education solution, Heart Self-Care Patient Education (HeartSCaPE), that used narrative and virtual reward gamification techniques. Materials and Methods: This mixed-methods study used a pre-post-test design with an embedded explanatory qualitative phase. Patients completed the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index, that measured self-care behaviour change and the Dutch Heart Failure Knowledge Scale, used to measure heart failure knowledge. Usability measures of HeartSCaPE were tracked using Google Analytics and the System Usability Scale. Results: Nineteen patients completed the study, with a subset of six participating in semi-structured interviews. We found increases in HF knowledge despite high baseline knowledge scores. Post-intervention self-reported HF self-care behaviours (maintenance, management and confidence), as measured by the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index, were also improved. Knowledge and self-care scores were not correlated. Participants also scored HeartSCaPE as highly usable. In interviews, participants described valuing the opportunity to practice self-care decision-making. There were mixed opinions regarding the use of virtual rewards. Conclusion: We found that a gamified web-based solution that uses narrative and reward-based gamification techniques has the potential to improve HF patient knowledge and self-care. Further research is needed to confirm the study's clinical benefits and address technology literacy inequities.

Somatosensory ECoG-based brain–machine interface with electrical stimulation on medial forebrain bundle

Brain–machine interface (BMI) provides an alternative route for controlling an external device with one’s intention. For individuals with motor-related disability, the BMI technologies can be used to replace or restore motor functions. Therefore, BMIs for movement restoration generally decode the neural activity from the motor-related brain regions. In this study, however, we designed a BMI system that uses sensory-related neural signals for BMI combined with electrical stimulation for reward. Four-channel electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals were recorded from the whisker-related somatosensory cortex of rats and converted to extract the BMI signals to control the one-dimensional movement of a dot on the screen. At the same time, we used operant conditioning with electrical stimulation on medial forebrain bundle (MFB), which provides a virtual reward to motivate the rat to move the dot towards the desired center region. The BMI task training was performed for 7 days with ECoG recording and MFB stimulation. Animals successfully learned to move the dot location to the desired position using S1BF neural activity. This study successfully demonstrated that it is feasible to utilize the neural signals from the whisker somatosensory cortex for BMI system. In addition, the MFB electrical stimulation is effective for rats to learn the behavioral task for BMI.

Incentives for Plastic Recycling: How to Engage Citizens in Active Collection. Empirical Evidence from Spain

The recycling target for plastics is expected to increase Europe-wide from 22.5% to 55% by 2025, hence the relevance of incentive schemes and the need to reach conclusions about how to encourage families to recycle more. Following this objective, a pilot project was implemented and a virtual reward token called RECICLOS created to encourage recycling among families, using incentives and awards to improve recycling behaviour and a webapp prototype to register the recycled plastic. By the end of the 6-week pilot project, 1053 families were registered on the scheme, representing 10% of the targeted population in the pilot area of the county of Pla de l’Estany, Catalonia, Spain. The novelties were the introduction of a token, the gamification of incentives through raffles and lotteries, webapp-based direct communication with citizens, and feedback after collecting and registering the recycled material. The multidimensional aspects of recycling activities, their strong relation with human behavioural patterns, and the high demand for communication and interaction mean that mobile technologies find significant application in this field. The results show that people can be influenced and their recycling habits changed by means of varied, effective, and innovative incentive schemes.

Can digital personal assistants persuade people to exercise?

ABSTRACT Digital personal assistants (DPAs) have recently grown in popularity because they are both a commercially available new technology and reasonably affordable to the average household. This opens opportunities for new ways to assist people in everyday activities in their homes through voice-interaction. Physical activity has significant health benefits, and yet globally, 1 in 4 adults are not active enough. To address this, we investigate the persuasive potential of DPAs in increasing people’s physical activity at home. We conducted a study with 48 participants to understand the effect of applying three of Fogg’s persuasive principles to the design of a DPA exercise programme: Suggestion, Virtual Reward, and Praise. Our findings show that DPAs have the potential, within their current technical and reactive capabilities, to persuade people to increase their physical activity at home, using Suggestion to encourage physical effort, Virtual Reward to encourage endurance, and Praise to create reassurance for beginners. Based on this, we offer three alternate perspectives for developing persuasive DPAs. We also discuss limitations of the study and suggest future research directions around using persuasion with DPAs.

Catching All Pokémon: Virtual Reward Optimization With Tensor Voting Based Trajectory Privacy

The widespread adoption of mobile devices with global positioning system enables location-based games (LBGs) to use real world maps, while locations and objectives in LBGs can make the progression, achievements, and virtual rewards feel more palpable and entertaining. However, allowing location sharing in LBGs gives dishonest parties opportunities to learn users’ trajectories, which compromises the users’ privacy. In this paper, we propose a novel scheme jointly maximizing LBG players’ virtual rewards while preserving their trajectory privacy. Briefly, we first introduce a quantitative machine learning-based approach to model trajectory inference attacks via tensor voting. Then, to thwart this attack, we propose a tensor voting-based $k$ -anonymous obfuscation strategy. Considering the trajectory privacy concerns and power constraint of hand-held mobile devices, we mathematically formulate the LBG players’ virtual reward maximization optimization into the mixed integer problem and develop the feasible solutions. Simulation results and analysis show that the proposed scheme can effectively preserve LBG players’ trajectory privacy against tensor voting based inference attacks while maximizing LBG players’ virtual rewards.

Adaptation effects of medial forebrain bundle micro-electrical stimulation

ABSTRACT Brain micro-electrical stimulation and its applications are among the most important issues in the field of brain science and neurophysiology. Deep brain stimulation techniques have been used in different theraputic or alternative medicine applications including chronic pain control, tremor control, Parkinson’s disease control and depression control. Recently, brain electrical stimulation has been used for tele-control and navigation of small animals such as rodents and birds. Electrical stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) area has been reported to induce a pleasure sensation in rat which can be used as a virtual reward for rat navigation. In all cases of electrical stimulation, the temporal adaptation may deteriorate the instantaneous effects of the stimulation. Here, we study the adaptation effects of the MFB electrical stimulation in rats. The animals are taught to press a key in an operant conditioning chamber to self-stimulate the MFB region and receive a virtual reward for each key press. Based on the number of key presses, and statistical analyses the effects of adaptation on MFB stimulation is evaluated. The stimulation frequency were changed from 100 to 400 Hz, the amplitude were changed from 50 to 170 µA and the pulse-width were changed from 180 to 2000 µs. In the frequency of 250 Hz the adaptation effect were observed. The amplitude did not show a significant effect on MFB adaptation. For all values of pulse-widths, the adaptation occurred over two consecutive days, meaning that the number of key presses on the second day was less than the first day.

A Smartphone App–Based Lifestyle Intervention Promotes Weight Loss—Results of a Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial (RCT)

Despite widespread use of smartphones and wearables, we have limited evidence that they aid weight loss or lifestyle. Here, we report results of a 6-month RCT of our smartphone app-based lifestyle intervention vs. standard of care (in-person weight management visits at 0, 3, and 6 months) in a cohort of overweight or obese subjects. The app downloads objective data of daily weights from smartscales and physical activity from 3-axis accelerometers. The technology allows peer social networking and remote professional coaching employing behavior modification techniques delivered via group and private messaging, emoticons, shared activity and weight data, shared photographs of meals, and a virtual reward system for behavior modification. Intervention group: n=13, 85% F, age 39.5 ± 3.71 y, initial weight 94.3 ± 3.42 kg, BMI 34.5 ± 1.3 kg/m2. Control group: n=15, 86% F, age 45.1 ± 3.31 y, initial weight 92.3 ± 4.37 kg, BMI 33.8 ± 1.kg/m2 (means ± SE). We found a clinically and statistically significant weight difference of -4.2 ± 2.0 kg (95% CI -8.3 to -0.02 p=0.0488) after 6 months of our smartphone app-based lifestyle intervention (prespecified primary outcome, intervention vs. control). In the intervention group, weight change was -7.2 ± 1.8 kg (95% CI -11.1 to -3.3, p = 0.0017); % weight change was -7.9% ± 2.2% (95% CI -12.6 to -3.2, p=0.0031). Weight change significantly associated with median step counts (Pearson’s correlation coefficient r=-0.61, p=0.027), numbers of text messages from each subject (r=-0.83, p=0.0005), and numbers of diet photos shared (r =-0.83 p=0.0005). Our app-based lifestyle intervention met the prespecified primary outcome of clinically meaningful and statistically significant weight loss at 6 months over control. The strongest correlations with weight loss in the intervention group were physical activity (step counts) and subjects’ engagement in behavior modification coaching (messages and diet photos). Disclosure C. Vaz: None. A.G. Suthar: None. B.T. Pousti: None. S.M. Aye: None. K. Williams: Stock/Shareholder; Self; Hygieia, Gemphire, Inc.. Advisory Panel; Self; Gemphire, Inc.. H. Zhao: None.

Perceptions of virtual reward systems in crowdsourcing games

The gaming approach to crowdsourcing is a major way to foster engagement and sustained participation. Also known as crowdsourcing games, players contribute their effort to tackle problems and receive enjoyment in return. As in any game, a fundamental mechanism in crowdsourcing games is its virtual reward system. This paper investigates how virtual reward systems evoke intrinsic motivation, perceived enjoyment and output quality in the context of crowdsourcing games. Three mobile applications for crowdsourcing location-based content were developed for an experimental study. The Track version offered a points-based reward system for actions such as contribution of content. The Badge version offered different badges for collection while the Share version served as a control which did not have any virtual reward system. For each application, participants performed a series of tasks after which a questionnaire survey was administered. Results showed that Badge and Track enhanced enjoyment emotionally, cognitively and behaviorally. They also increased perceptions of the quality of outputs when compared to Share. As well, they better satisfied the motivational needs for autonomy and competence than Share. Interestingly, there were also significant differences in how Badge and Track were perceived.

The Effect of Emotion and Reward Contingencies on Relational Memory in Major Depression: An Eye-Movement Study with Follow-Up.

Background: Episodic memory disturbances were found to constitute a potential trait marker for major depression (MD). The recall of positive or rewarding information in a relational context is specifically impaired. Eye-movement recording constitutes a novel, direct approach to examine implicit memory performance. Here we aimed to assess the effect of emotional context and implicit virtual monetary reward or loss on viewing patterns in association with relational memory in a 6-months follow-up study in MD.Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight patients with MD and 30 healthy participants were trained to associate a face (happy/sad/neutral) with a background scene. After each pair a virtual monetary reward or loss appeared briefly. During testing, scenes were presented as a cue and then overlaid with three previously studied faces. Participants were asked to recall the matching face if present (Match trials), with eye-movements and subsequent forced-choice recognition being recorded.Results: Explicit recognition of the matching face was impaired in the MD group as compared to controls. In correlation with this, viewing of the matching face was significantly reduced in the MD group. We found a significant interaction of group (MD vs HC) with the relational memory condition (Match and Non-match), facial emotion and monetary reward and loss. MD patients attended longer to previously rewarded stimuli, but significantly less to sad faces in the Match condition. The relational memory impairment persisted at follow-up and correlated with symptom severity both at baseline and follow-up. Viewing patterns associated with previous virtual reward were associated with clinical symptoms at follow-up.Conclusion: Our current results provide novel evidence for a specific relational memory impairment in MD as supported by abnormal eye-movement behavior and a deficit in explicit recognition. MD patients showed an attentional bias to rewarded stimuli and decreased viewing of sad faces when relational memory information was present.

Leveraging the Habit-forming Aspects of Technology to Increase Levels of Physical Activity

The use of technology to promote physical activity has been rapidly gaining popularity as technological advances find ever-broadening applications. Though some technology aspects (i.e., on-screen video games) were for long perceived to be incompatible with efforts to diminish physical inactivity, evolving technology has made incorporating newer forms possible in physical activity settings. Professionals interested in physical activity continue to explore and embrace more technology applications with features that advance movement goals. For example, technologies such as the Striiv pedometers, which use virtual challenges and virtual rewards to make movement habitual, demonstrate how habit-forming technology could help to spur sustainable healthy levels of physical activity. This article proposes increased exploration and utilization of habit-forming technology features to encourage more physical activity time in and outside of the physical education classroom. It suggests deliberately seeking technologies with built-in virtual challenges and reward systems to help create and sustain robust physical activity habits necessary for health.

Does the Framing of Progress Towards Virtual Rewards Matter?

A natural experiment on a popular German Question & Answer community is used to find out whether the small-area hypothesis applies to user activation by means of a virtual reward in the form of badges. Koo and Fishbach’s small-area hypothesis posits that individuals in pursuit of a goal are more highly motivated when focusing on the smaller percentage of progress towards their goal, irrespective of whether this figure represents the actions already completed or those still remaining. Consistent with the authors’ theoretical predictions, the study finds empirical evidence for the small-area effect and its activating power, translated here into increased online user contributions. Besides contributing to the literature with an empirical study anchored in theory, the findings have direct practical implications for designers of online virtual reward systems by suggesting more effective (and motivating) ways of framing user progress towards virtual rewards.

A robo-pigeon based on an innovative multi-mode telestimulation system

In this paper, we describe a new multi-mode telestimulation system for brain-microstimulation for the navigation of a robo-pigeon, a new type of bio-robot based on Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) techniques. The multi-mode telestimulation system overcomes neuron adaptation that was a key shortcoming of the previous single-mode stimulation by the use of non-steady TTL biphasic pulses accomplished by randomly alternating pulse modes. To improve efficiency, a new behavior model ("virtual fear") is proposed and applied to the robo-pigeon. Unlike the previous "virtual reward" model, the "virtual fear" behavior model does not require special training. The performance and effectiveness of the system to alleviate the adaptation of neurons was verified by a robo-pigeon navigation test, simultaneously confirming the practicality of the "virtual fear" behavioral model.

Goals as Reference Points: Empirical Evidence from a Virtual Reward System

Heath et al. [Heath C, Larrick RP, Wu G (1999) Goals as reference points. Cognitive Psych. 38(1):79–109] propose a prospect theory model for goal behavior. Their analytical model is based on the assumption that goals inherit the main properties of the prospect theory value function, i.e., reference point dependence, loss aversion, and diminishing sensitivity. We investigate whether these main properties transfer to goal behavior in the field. We take user activity data from a gamified question and answer (Q&A) community and analyze how users adjust their contribution behavior in the days surrounding goal achievement, where goals are represented by badges. We find that users gradually increase their performance in the days prior to earning a badge, with performance peaking on the day of the promotion. In subsequent days, user performance gradually diminishes again, with the decline being strongest on the day immediately following the badge achievement. These findings reflect the characteristic S-shape of the prospect theory value function which is convex below the reference point and concave above it. Employing the target-based approach, we can interpret the value function as a cumulative density function of a unimodal probability distribution. Our results suggest that it is more likely that active members of the community focus on the next badge relative to the status already achieved, as their next goal and are less likely to focus on more remote (higher-ranked) badges. Our results thus support the transferability of the main properties of the prospect theory value function to goal behavior in the field and suggest a distinct shape of the value function around goals.

CORSA: An Open Solution for Social Oriented Real-time Ride Sharing

The combination of the interest in environmental questions on one hand and the massive use of web based social networks on the other recently led to a revival of carpooling. In particular, the exploitation of social networks promotes the information spreading for an effective service (e.g. reducing the lack of confidence among users) and endorses carpooling companies via viral marketing, finally acting as a basis for trust based users recommendation system In this work we outline CORSA, an open source solution for a real time ride sharing (RTRS) carpooling service that endorses the role of social networks by using them as a conveying scenario for the virtual credits reward mechanism CORSA is based on.

Don’t take away my status! – Evidence from the restructuring of a virtual reward system

In a natural experiment on a popular German Question & Answer community we investigate how user status demotion affects user activity levels in online communities. The virtual reward system on this platform is designed to activate the status seeking behavior of its members. The members’ status within the community is represented by the member’s rank. In the experiment the platform operator restructured the virtual reward system, in the process reducing or abolishing the incentives for selected activities on the platform. After restructuring nearly all users saw their status demoted, with almost three quarters having lost one rank, and more than a quarter having lost two or more ranks. We identify the impact of status demotion by comparing how the members in these two groups respond to the restructuring. We find that users who lost two or more ranks reduce their post-event activities for which the incentives were reduced or abolished by 18% more than those who lost only one rank, and by 9% more than the latter for activities which were unaffected by the event.

Make It Like the Real World: Adolescents’ Recommendations for the Design of a Digital HIV Prevention Game

Digital games have shown promise in studies focusing on disease prevention and disease self-management in children and young adolescents. The purpose of this study was to gather formative data for the design of an HIV prevention game for adolescents. Qualitative research methods that included focus group sessions with four groups of adolescents were used (N = 38). Content analysis strategies were used to analyze verbatim transcripts and observational notes. Themes emerging from the data included: players’ control, virtual reward systems, immersive action, and the need for tailoring. Findings are being used in the design of a digital game that is responsive to recommendations to “make it like the real world.” HIV prevention strategies could benefit from incorporating emerging technologies that are inherently attractive to many adolescents. Adolescent participants support the use of digital games in HIV prevention and wanted such games to reflect their lives.

Mongolian gerbils learn to navigate in complex virtual spaces

Virtual reality (VR) environments are increasingly used to study spatial navigation in rodents. So far behavioral paradigms in virtual realities have been limited to linear tracks or open fields. However, little is known whether rodents can learn to navigate in more complex virtual spaces. We used a VR setup with a spherical treadmill but no head-fixation, which permits animals not only to move in a virtual environment but also to freely rotate around their vertical body axis. We trained Mongolian gerbils to perform spatial tasks in virtual mazes of different complexity. Initially the animals learned to run back and forth between the two ends of a virtual linear track for food reward. Performance, measured as path length and running time between the virtual reward locations, improved to asymptotic performance within about five training sessions. When more complex mazes were presented after this training epoch, the animals generalized and explored the new environments already at their first exposure. In a final experiment, the animals also learned to perform a two-alternative forced choice task in a virtual Y-maze. Our data thus shows that gerbils can be trained to solve spatial tasks in virtual mazes and that this behavior can be used as a readout for psychophysical measurements.