Gamified Persuasion: User Experiences of Online Activation Service

The authors have empirically examined the persuasive properties of digital games from a multidisciplinary perspective. Besides the relevant cultural and psychological theories related to the game phenomenon, the authors have included a case study where a persuasive online activation service was tested among young men N=280, average 17.9 year old in the promotion of physical and social activity. The emphasis of the article is on qualitative material, which is based on in-depth interviews of 10 individuals, as well as participant observation considering the user experiences regarding the activation service and gaming in general. The authors have concluded that games contain persuasive characteristics based on human culture and psychology and that these characteristics could effectively be utilized in physically and socially activating games.

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