gsummit sf 2014 - stopping gamification from being a double-edged sword: evidence from games and the...

Prof. Ethan MollickWharton School

• A history of what we know, and how we know it

• Data from studies by Prof. Nancy Rothbard and myself

• Paradox of “mandatory fun” and consent

• How to avoid gamification as a double-edged sword

Karl Maydens

Evan Long

Fast-growing and successful social e-commerce company

Field Experiment:Three sales floors, fairly random assignmentMultiple surveys, plus individual performance data

Examining consent:I followed the game closelyI understood rules of the gameThe game was fair

Game Condition Control Condition

Alternative Control: “Competition” Condition

• Basketball-themed game

• Score points by closing deals

• Warm leads “layups”; cold calls “jump shots”

• Large display screens showed basketball themed animation when points were scored.

• Daily emails sent out to update participants on game status.

No intervention

• Large screen “scoreboards”

• Performance statistics

• Data similar to game condition without the game mechanics

Leaderboard Game w/Consent Game w/o Consent

Performance Borderline - No Effect Borderline -

Affect No Effect Strong + Strong -

Attitude to co. No Effect Strong + No Effect

Leaderboard Game w/Consent Game w/o Consent

Performance Borderline - No Effect Borderline -

Affect No Effect Strong + Strong -

Attitude to co. No Effect Strong + No Effect

Leaderboard Game w/Consent Game w/o Consent

Performance Borderline - No Effect Borderline -

Affect No Effect Strong + Strong -

Attitude to co. No Effect Strong + No Effect

• Winning and losing had minor effects• Legitimacy of games (hours of gameplay)…second experiment to find out more…

• We created three versions of the same game

• We created three versions of the same game

• We randomized between three possible choice conditions

• Three factors of consent (understand the rules, pay attention think it is fair)

• Highest for groups that had a choice

• Generally similar (except for understanding the rules) for those that were not presented with a choice

• Lowest for groups that got the opposite of their choice

• Gamification without consent can actually lower performance and attitude

• This is often hidden because:

– In voluntary settings non-consenters drop out

– Measurement is often bad or non-existent in gamification

• Gamification without consent is mandatory fun

• Consent is absolutely critical in games to avoid the paradox of mandatory fun

• Consent can be gained by giving people agency over their decisions

• Measure what you want to change, and also what you want to avoid changing

• emollick@Wharton.upenn.edu

• @emollick