The impact of gamification on intrinsic motivation : An experimental study of administrative tasks

Abstract: Gamification could be a solution to make office work more productive by in- creasing the intrinsic motivation of employees. Currently, little research exists on gamification in connection to administrative tasks. In literature the im- portance of designing gamified tasks to the target group is stressed. This study explores in an experiment the impact of gamification on intrinsic motivation while conducting basic administrative tasks, as well as differences between age groups. The qualitative analysis of the experiment (n = 32) reveals indications that gamification triggers positive emotions, a higher engagement and creativi- ty. Using a mixed methods approach, the indications from the qualitative anal- ysis could not be proven quantitatively with a statistical significance. The re- sults further suggest, that people over 35 years tend to perceive gamification more extreme than younger ones, leading to either high intrinsic motivation or alienation.