Verifying the application of online gamification methods to introduce pro-environmental behavior
Date
2013
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy
Abstract
The goal of this thesis is to validate whether online gamification methods can be used to
introduce pro-environmental lifestyle. Human activities have since the Industrial Revolution had
an increasingly destructive impact on the biosphere, which has started to endanger the
environment and our existence as a species. Awareness of the situation is increasing, but real
actions to combat the problem are not, as environmental activists lack the knowledge and tools to
drive the necessary individual behavioral change. At the same time, the emergence of the internet
has created a mass medium which has proven to be very effective in altering individuals’ habits.
One of the newest and most potent methodologies to spark behavioral change is gamification,
which implies using game design elements in non-gaming context. Due to a vast gap between the
academic and commercial practitioners’ world, little research has been so far done regarding
gamification, and the results of these studies have not been implemented to create effective
products. This research tried to bridge this gap and validate the use of gamification to drive proenvironmental
behavior change, by deploying an experimental prototype which was developed
based on Eric Ries’ Lean Startup ideology and Yu-kai Chou’s Octalysis gamification framework.
In addition, a pretest-posttest survey was conducted to investigate the impact of using the
prototype. The minimal prototype proved to be effective in acquiring and engaging new
members by growing its user base 8.5 fold. More than one fourth of registered members became
engaged users and continued to use the gamified product throughout the experiment. The pretestposttest
survey results indicated that engaging with the prototype did in fact change the users’
behaviors towards a more sustainable lifestyle, moderate pro-environmental increases were
detected in both respondents’ attitudes and concrete undertaken everyday activities.
Description
Keywords
gamification, pro-environmental lifestyle