computergamescultures

[computergamescultures]

Gamification

Gamification is the concept of taking 'fun' gamelike elements and introducing them to an area of life that is not often seen in that way. Such as loyalty stamp cards for getting a hot drink at a coffee shop, many find pleasure in completing it and recieving your 'free' drink at the end. This form of gamification increases loyalty to a specific company or product and in some cases enforces a routine (visiting an app everyday to recieve rewards) This ensures that the app will be visited routinely. I decided to look through my phone at apps that had a gamification element to them, to see how many there are and in what way are they changing our behaviour to benifit their service.

Health App: This app is a default app on any Iphone and will automatically track your exercise for the day, it allows you to compare your progress over months if not years of data tracked from teh very moment you turned on your iphone for the first time. This allows you to see all previous data and see whether you have improved or not and it even allows you to set a step goal that will notify you when you have reached it. This has become a staple in many people's lives with family members and friends announcing they have reached their step goal for the day. It has become so engrained in some people's lives that they intentionally walk the same route every day to ensure that they recieve that little ping of validation.

Mental Health App (Noggin Notes): This app allows you to track your mental health so you can track if you are progressing mentally. One of the capabilities of this app is that there is a 'gratitude bar' that you fill in to allow you to see the 'positives' in life. As I am rather forgetful, my phone will often notify me to fill it in at least once daily. This daily routine although helpful is also to enforce the idea that you 'need' this app to process your thoughts and emotions.

Food Loyalty Apps (GBK): I can't believe I didn't notice this one before considering it is an app that literally rewards you for eating at their resteraunt and using their app. It even includes challenges that request you go to at least 4 different chains to recieve a free burger or to drink one of each of their milkshakes to get a free one. Because I am a sucker for free food/drinks I am currently on my second round of digital 'loyalty cards' and will get a free milkshake next visit.

This has proven to me that Gamification is everywhere and can influence everything from your opinion of exercise to the brand of food you eat.

[computergamescultures]

Technological and Cultural Determinism

Today we learned about Technological and Cultural determinism and how it affects society as a whole. We formed our own opinions on the matter based on whether we think that our personal behaviour is based on our Culture (where we were born, where our family is from and what groups we are a part of). However, Technological Determinism is the theory that the technology available to us helps form our personal behaviour. I personally believe it is a combination of the two, in may families where tradition is key and culture is a strong part of their upbringing I can imagine that would have a profound effect on anyone brought up in that atmosphere. However, if you are brought up in a very tech-orientated household in a city where technology is easily accessible I could also imagine that living in that atmosphere would also change a child. Technology is becoming increasingly integrated into daily life with families spending upwards of 3 hours watching tv together (often whilst using secondary devices) and Culture is increasingly ignored. Therefore I feel that more so than ever Technological Determinism is more apparent in modern society.