游戏化竞争对在线学习用户行为的影响研究

Effects of gamified competitions on online learner behavior

为了吸引和激励用户,各种游戏设计元素被广泛应用于在线学习环境中.然而,这些游戏化设计对于用户行为的影响仍然有待系统性的理论解释,其实际作用也有待于深入的实证研究加以检验.本文基于“需求-可供性-功能特征”的视角,从自我决定理论和心理占有理论出发,分析游戏化竞争元素,包括间接竞争(如排行榜)和直接竞争(如一对一的对抗性竞赛,或称PK),对在线学习用户行为的影响.利用大规模客观数据,本文构建了一个面板数据集,通过倾向得分匹配加双重差分的计量估计,结果表明,游戏化间接竞争和游戏化直接竞争对于用户的在线学习行为均有正面影响.本文的研究从竞争元素的角度,揭示了自愿参与的在线学习场景中游戏化设计的作用机制,对于相关研究与实践具有多方面的参考意义.

Gamification has been widely adopted in various online learning contexts to better engage and motivate users.However,the extant literature still lacks consistent empirical evidence on the effectiveness of online gamified learning.Based on needs-affordances-features(NAF)perspective,we draw on self-determination theory and psychological ownership theory to analyze how gamified competition,including indirect competition(such as a leaderboard)and direct competition(such as one-on-one player-killing,or PK in short)in online learning apps provide motivational affordances to users.We collect data from a popular online language learning app and construct a large scale panel dataset.By the econometric analysis of using propensity score matching and difference in difference method,we find that our hypotheses are supported.We are among the first to explore the ejffect of using gamification modules in the voluntary online learning contexts.This study enriches the relevant literature and sheds light on practice.