Abstract The literature on serious games and gamification suggests that game elements have a positive influence on learning and performance in cognitive tasks. However, the mechanisms by which game elements affect these outcomes are not well understood. Building on theorizing in the self-control literature, the present research investigated whether game elements change the subjective experience of a cognitive task in terms of the positive affect, motivational conflict, and subjective effort experienced. Further, we tested whether people with a low versus high level of self-control benefit more from game elements in terms of their performance. The results of two experimental studies suggest that the gamification of an n-back task did not improve task accuracy (i.e., correct responses) directly but reduced task disengagement (i.e., non-responses). Further, gamification prevented positive affect from dropping over the course of the task and reduced motivational conflict and subjective effort experienced. Only positive affect mediated the effect of game elements on task disengagement. Further, game elements had an indirect effect on task accuracy via subjective effort. There was no indication that individuals with lower delay of gratification or lower trait self-control would profit more from gamification. The implications of these findings for the literature on self-control and gamification are discussed.

中文翻译：

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一分耕耘一分收获？认知任务中游戏元素的激励机制研究

摘要 关于严肃游戏和游戏化的文献表明，游戏元素对认知任务的学习和表现有积极的影响。然而，游戏元素影响这些结果的机制尚不清楚。基于自我控制文献中的理论，本研究调查了游戏元素是否会在积极影响、动机冲突和主观努力方面改变认知任务的主观体验。此外，我们测试了自控水平低与高的人是否在表现方面更能从游戏元素中受益。两项实验研究的结果表明，n-back 任务的游戏化并没有直接提高任务准确性（即正确响应），而是减少了任务脱离（即无响应）。此外，游戏化防止了积极影响在任务过程中下降，并减少了动机冲突和主观努力。只有积极的影响介导了游戏元素对任务脱离的影响。此外，游戏元素通过主观努力对任务准确性产生间接影响。没有迹象表明延迟满足或特质自我控制能力较低的人会从游戏化中获益更多。讨论了这些发现对自我控制和游戏化文献的影响。游戏元素通过主观努力对任务准确性产生间接影响。没有迹象表明延迟满足或特质自我控制能力较低的人会从游戏化中获益更多。讨论了这些发现对自我控制和游戏化文献的影响。游戏元素通过主观努力对任务准确性产生间接影响。没有迹象表明延迟满足或特质自我控制能力较低的人会从游戏化中获益更多。讨论了这些发现对自我控制和游戏化文献的影响。