Using Hexad User Types to Select Suitable Gamification Elements to Encourage Healthy Eating

Given that an increasing number of people cultivate poor eating habits, encouraging people to eat healthy is important. One way to motivate people eating healthy is using gamification, i.e. using game elements in a non-game context. Often, a static set of gamification elements is used. However, research suggests that the motivational impact of gamification elements differs substantially across users, demanding personalized approaches. In this paper, we contribute to this by investigating the perception of frequently used gamification elements in the healthy eating domain and correlations to Hexad user types in an online study (N=237). To do so, we created storyboards illustrating these gamification elements and show their comprehensibility in a lab study (N=8). Our results validate and extend previous research in the healthy eating domain, underline the need for personalization and could be used to inform the design of gamified systems for healthy eating.

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