Study Findings from University of Malta Broaden Understanding of Psychology and Psychiatry (A Field Experiment On Gamification of Physical Activity - Effects On Motivation and Steps).

A study conducted by the University of Malta investigated the effects of gamification on physical activity. Participants were randomly assigned to different gamified groups or a control group and provided with wearable physical activity trackers. The study found that while gamification did not have a significant impact on intrinsic motivation or perceived usefulness, it did lead to increased step counts compared to the control group. The researchers concluded that further investigation is needed to understand the mechanisms at play. This research has been peer-reviewed and published in the International Journal of Human-Computer Studies. [Extracted from the article]