Encouraging individuals to go green by gamification: An empirical study

Abstract

The quality of the environment is the main concern of the current world. For the improvement of environmental quality, individuals are suggested to perform pro-environmental behaviors. Gamifying information systems to encourage their users to do so is an emerging phenomenon showing its potential for environmental conservation. Contributing to the environment in interesting ways is the main idea of gamification which helps the system attract users. However, maintaining active user engagement within such a gamified system is difficult. To understand the mechanism of users’ continuous intention to use gamified information system for environmental protection, this research based on the theories of goal framing and gamification affordance to explain what factors influence user’ continuance to use intention and what roles the gamification design takes in the user interaction with the system. This study contributes to knowledge of research and practice regarding gamified information systems for environmental protection.