Gamification: Introverts Love Leaderboards, Extroverts Not So Much

Overview

Paper Summary › Explain Like I'm Five › Conflicts of Interest › Identified Limitations › Rating Explanation › Good to know › Topic Hierarchy › File Information ›

Paper Summary

Paperzilla title

Gamification in a programming course improved learning accuracy for students with low agreeableness, openness, and introverted traits, while it did not negatively affect students with other personality traits. The study also found that introverted students engaged more with the gamified version, particularly with ranking features, than extroverted students, suggesting different motivational responses to gamification based on personality.

Explain Like I'm Five

Scientists found that making school feel like a game helped some kids learn better, especially those who are a bit shy or like things their own way. It didn't make learning harder for other kids, and shy students especially liked seeing how they ranked in the games.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

The study acknowledges funding from Brazilian government agencies CAPES, FAPERGS, and CNPq, but these are standard research funding sources. No other conflicts of interest were identified.

Identified Limitations

Limited Sample Size and Representativeness

The sample size is relatively small (40 participants), which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, the participants were all from the same university, mostly young males, which may not accurately reflect the diversity of the student population.

Domain Specificity

The study focuses on programming tasks, and the results may not generalize to other domains or learning contexts. The paper acknowledges this and suggests future replication in fields like math, physics, etc. This limitation restricts the applicability of the findings.

Participant Classification

The classification of participants into personality trait categories was based on median scores, which may not be the most robust method. A larger sample size and examination of extreme individuals are proposed for future work. This introduces a potential source of error in how personality influences were grouped and analyzed.

Uncontrolled Variable

The experiment occurred in a real classroom setting, and some students noticed differences in their Feeper versions. The teachers' explanations might have introduced unintended bias. This uncontrolled variable could influence the students' behavior and engagement with the gamified features.

Rating Explanation

This study conducts a four-month experiment in a real learning environment to examine the effects of gamification on student engagement, learning, and behavior. The methodology is well-described, and the study controls for several factors. The work addresses a significant gap in gamification research by looking at personality traits. While the sample size and domain specificity are limitations, the findings are valuable and offer directions for future research. Hence a rating of 4.

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Topic Hierarchy

Domain: Social Sciences

Field: Psychology

Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology

File Information

Original Title: The impact of gamification on students' learning, engagement and behavior based on their personality traits

Uploaded: July 14, 2025 at 10:57 AM

Privacy: Public