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Short Abstract

A scoping review mapping out how gamification can support citizen science outcomes, such as promoting behaviour change. It synthesises game elements, impact measures, and insights for assessing their reported social impacts and effects on behaviour change outcomes.

Abstract

Gamification, or the application of game design elements in non-game contexts, is often applied in citizen science (CS) to improve participation and data collection. However, CS projects often have goals beyond the collection of data, such as promoting behaviour change for supporting sustainability goals. While gamification has been shown to promote positive behaviours in fields such as digital health and education, there is a limited understanding of gamification’s ability to support behaviour change within CS. This gap stems from a lack of synthesis of existing studies on gamified citizen science.

This scoping review aims to map out the evidence available in the field of gamified citizen science, identify the game elements employed, and examine how their impact, particularly on behaviour change, has been assessed. Following the JBI guidelines, it targets qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method studies published in Scopus, Web of Science, PsychINFO, IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, JSTOR and Medline databases. All English language studies focused on examining a game-based approach to citizen science are included.

The review synthesises patterns in gamification strategies, highlights measurement approaches, and assess their reported social impacts and effects on behaviour change outcomes. By clarifying how gamification has been used and evaluated in citizen science, this study informs the design of future projects seeking to leverage gamification to advance both scientific participation and social impact in the form of sustainability-oriented behaviour change.