The Connection Between Gamification and Intrinsic Motivation: An Analysis from the Perspective of Self-Determination Theory

Abstract

Self-determination theory (SDT) is a motivational theory that proposes every individual has three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence and relatedness. Although it is a widely adopted theoretical framework in the gamification literature, applied research on which gamification features fulfill which basic psychological needs of SDT and to what degree is still limited. In this correlational research, we investigated which gamification features satisfy their respective needs the most and the correlation between intrinsic motivation and the need satisfaction by gamification features. Within the scope of the study, we developed the Need Satisfaction of Gamification Features Scale with 174 participants. Through this scale and the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, we collected data from 36 learners who experienced a 14-week gamified course. The collected data were analyzed by mean, standard deviation, and Pearson correlation coefficient. Findings indicated that autonomy was satisfied the most by providing options, competence by points and relatedness by peer comments. In addition, learners’ intrinsic motivation was found to have a stronger relationship with autonomy, supported by gamification features, than relatedness and competence. The results imply that a gamification design supporting the basic psychological needs of SDT could be utilized in educational settings that aim to facilitate learners’ intrinsic motivation.

Keywords

• gamification
• self-determination theory
• need satisfaction
• intrinsicmotivation
• learning

Oyunlaştırma ile İçsel Motivasyon Arasındaki Bağ: Öz Belirleme Kuramı Perspektifinden Bir Analiz

Abstract

Öz Belirleme Kuramı (Self-Determination Theory - SDT), her bireyin üç temel psikolojik ihtiyacı olduğunu öne süren bir motivasyon kuramıdır: özerklik, yeterlik ve ilişkili olma. Oyunlaştırma literatüründe yaygın olarak benimsenen bir kuram olmasına rağmen, hangi oyunlaştırma özelliğinin hangi ihtiyacı ne ölçüde desteklediğine dair uygulamalı çalışmalar sınırlıdır. Bu korelasyonel araştırmada, Öz Belirleme Kuramı kapsamındaki ihtiyaçların oyunlaştırma özellikleri tarafından ne ölçüde desteklendiği ve içsel motivasyon ile ilişkileri incelenmektedir. Çalışma kapsamında 174 katılımcı ile Oyunlaştırma Özellikleri ile Sağlanan İhtiyaç Doyumu Ölçeği geliştirilmiş, söz konusu ölçek ve İçsel Motivasyon Envanteri aracılığıyla 14 haftalık ders kapsamında oyunlaştırılmış öğrenme sürecini deneyimleyen 36 öğrenciden veri toplanmıştır. Veri analizinde ortalama, standart sapma ve Pearson korelasyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular seçenek sunmanın özerklik ihtiyacını, puanların yeterlik ihtiyacını ve akran yorumlarının ilişkili olma ihtiyacını en çok destekleyen oyunlaştırma özelliği olduğunu göstermiştir. Ayrıca, öğrencilerin içsel motivasyonunun, özerklik duygusu ile daha güçlü bir ilişkiye sahip olduğu belirlenmiştir. Sonuçlar, Öz Belirleme Kuramı kapsamındaki temel psikolojik ihtiyaçları destekleyen bir oyunlaştırma tasarımının, öğrencilerin içsel motivasyonunu artırmayı amaçlayan eğitim ortamlarında kullanılabileceğini göstermektedir.

Keywords

• oyunlaştırma
• öz belirleme kuramı
• ihtiyaç doyumu
• içsel motivasyon
• öğrenme

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