Gamified self-service checkouts: The influence of computer-related causal attributions on user experience and motivation

Abstract

This paper presents the concept and prototype of a smartphone application that gamifies the payment process at supermarket self-service checkouts. It is evaluated within a laboratory experiment conducted with 65 participants. As its primary goal, the study investigates the impact of computer-related causal attributions on the users’ evaluation of the gamified service. Attributions can be understood as individuals’ causal explanations for events influencing their emotions, motivation, and behavior. Results indicate that especially attributions in situations of success influence the level of motivation and user experience. The findings indicate that evoking specific attributions through the design of gamified applications can lead to increased user engagement.