Purpose

This study aims to investigate whether gamified elements affect the use behaviour of young people (between age 12 and 25 years) on consumption-related mobile applications.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted on 151 young people between the ages of 12 and 25 years.

Findings

The results showed that use behaviour on consumption mobile applications was affected by gamification. Behavioural intention to use was affected by the performance expectancy (PE) and effort expectancy (EE) of mobile application designs. Mobile applications characteristics do not affect behavioural intention to use mobile applications but through the mediator mobile application designs.

Research limitations/implications

This study also proposes mechanisms that explain how mobile apps characteristics affect EE and PE through app designs. Use behaviour is affected by Gamification elements. Affective need and social need link up uses and gratification (U&G) theory and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT)in gamification context. This study confirms the affective need affecting behavioural intention (Thongsri et al., 2018). In this regard, the mechanism between the relationship of affective need and behavioural intention was showed. Affective need through both PE and EE influencing behavioural intention.

Practical implications

Corporations should consider adding gamified elements into consumption-related mobile apps to increasing usage behaviour. Lucky draws, quizzes and games could be built in for mobile apps. Mobile app designs and characteristics could improve user experience by allowing consumers to perform their search and buying processes easily. Mobile app designs will not directly influence “behavioral intention to use” but use behaviour.

Social implications

Practitioners need to look at the problem from technological and customer perspectives. From technological viewpoint, both mobile apps characteristics and design are important in affecting user behaviour. From customer’s perspective, it would be helpful to add gaming elements to the mobile apps and induce emotion. One may also use visual image to create an immersive experience on the development of storyline. Prospective customers might focus on what is going on in the story and pay less attention on its own logic. Thus, simply lucky draw might not have a true effect since player have its own belief working. A suitable story element could have positive effect on mobile apps use behaviour.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to examine the association between gamification and use behaviour on consumption-related mobile applications. A new framework was proposed by integrating UTAUT model and U&G theory.

中文翻译：

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游戏化元素是否会影响年轻人在消费类移动应用上的使用行为？

目的

本研究旨在调查游戏化元素是否会影响年轻人（12 至 25 岁）在与消费相关的移动应用程序上的使用行为。

设计/方法/方法

对 151 名 12 至 25 岁的年轻人进行了调查。

调查结果

结果表明，消费类移动应用程序的使用行为受到游戏化的影响。使用行为的意图受移动应用程序设计的性能预期 (PE) 和努力预期 (EE) 的影响。移动应用程序特性不会影响使用移动应用程序的行为意图，而是通过移动应用程序设计的中介。

研究限制/影响

本研究还提出了解释移动应用程序特征如何通过应用程序设计影响 EE 和 PE 的机制。使用行为受游戏化元素的影响。在游戏化背景下，情感需求和社会需求将使用和满足 (U&G) 理论和技术接受和使用统一理论 (UTAUT) 联系起来。这项研究证实了影响行为意图的情感需求（Thongsri 等，2018）。在这方面，展示了情感需要与行为意向之间的关系机制。通过 PE 和 EE 影响行为意图的情感需求。

实际意义

企业应考虑将游戏化元素添加到与消费相关的移动应用程序中，以增加使用行为。可以为移动应用程序内置幸运抽奖、测验和游戏。移动应用程序的设计和特性可以让消费者轻松地执行搜索和购买过程，从而改善用户体验。移动应用程序设计不会直接影响“使用行为意图”，而是使用行为。

社会影响

从业者需要从技术和客户的角度来看待问题。从技术角度来看，移动应用程序的特性和设计在影响用户行为方面都很重要。从客户的角度来看，在移动应用程序中添加游戏元素并引发情感会很有帮助。人们也可以使用视觉图像来创造一种沉浸式的故事情节发展体验。潜在客户可能会关注故事中发生的事情，而不太关注故事本身的逻辑。因此，简单的幸运抽奖可能不会产生真正的效果，因为玩家有自己的信念在起作用。一个合适的故事元素可以对移动应用程序的使用行为产生积极的影响。

原创性/价值

这项研究是最早研究游戏化与消费相关移动应用程序使用行为之间关联的研究之一。结合UTAUT模型和U&G理论提出了一个新的框架。