Can gaming keep physical balance exercises fun over time?
Adding game elements to balance and walking exercises increases enjoyment and helps prevent it from declining over time, but it does not directly improve movement speed or precision.
Source
Gamification as a Sustainable Source of Enjoyment During Balance and Gait Exercises
What they did
In the first experiment, twenty-eight older adults were split into two groups to perform balance training over three different days. One group used a gamified stepping program on a screen, while the other performed standard physical balance exercises, both completing three 4-minute blocks per session. In the second experiment, forty-two young adults completed walking exercises on a treadmill set 10% above their preferred speed, playing either a fully gamified version or a control version with game elements removed.
What they found
In the first experiment, enjoyment decreased by 13% for the conventional exercise group, but actually increased by 6% for the gamified group. In the second experiment, overall enjoyment was significantly higher for the gamified group, though enjoyment eventually decreased by 18% across both groups as the sessions progressed. However, the added game features did not significantly alter the physical walking speed or step precision of the participants.
The limits
What it doesn't show
The study did not evaluate long-term outcomes, as the sessions took place over a few weeks at most, which is much shorter than real-world physical therapy. Additionally, because the sample sizes were relatively small, the study had low statistical power and may have missed subtle changes in movement precision or speed. Lastly, the researchers measured enjoyment using a new, non-validated self-report tool, which might be prone to social desirability bias.
Key terms
- Gamification
- The practice of integrating game-like design elements, such as scores and audio feedback, into non-game contexts to increase user engagement.
- Intrinsic Motivation
- Internal drive to engage in an activity because it is inherently satisfying or enjoyable, rather than for an external reward.
- Extrinsic Reward
- A tangible or separate incentive, such as money or grades, given to motivate someone to perform a task.
- Self Determination Theory
- A psychological framework suggesting that human motivation is driven by the fundamental needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
- Movement Vigor
- The speed, force, or intensity with which a physical action or movement is executed.
- Movement Accuracy
- The precision or degree of closeness to a target when executing a motor action.
Flashcards
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According to Self-Determination Theory, what three basic psychological needs does gamification fulfill to enhance intrinsic enjoyment?
Common questions
Why does gamification make exercises more sustainable over time?
Gamification satisfies psychological needs like autonomy and competence by offering immediate feedback and choices, which prevents the natural decline of enjoyment seen in repetitive exercises.
Why didn't the game elements improve physical movement speed or precision?
While external rewards (like money or food) are known to drive physical vigor, internal feelings of enjoyment may not have a strong enough immediate effect on motor control, or the small sample size was unable to detect these subtle changes.
What was the difference between the two experiments?
The first experiment evaluated elderly participants performing balance exercises over three days, whereas the second tested young adults on a high-tech virtual reality treadmill during a single session.
How did researchers measure enjoyment?
They used a simplified tool called the Quick Motivation Index (QMI), which asked participants to verbally rate their current enjoyment and motivation on a scale after each physical exercise block.
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