Gamified goal-setting: leaderboards effects differs across quantitative, qualitative, and perceived performance

Abstract

Leaderboards are commonly used in gamification to enhance performance outcomes. While their impact on quantitative performance is well-established, their effects on other performance indicators and moderators remain underexplored. We replicated and extended Landers et al.'s (2017) study of the gamified goal-setting effect on task performance to examine the effect on quantitative (e.g., task speed), qualitative (e.g., accuracy), and self-reported performance across two studies using 12-minute tasks. While leaderboards improved quantitative performance, qualitative performance remained unaffected. Moreover, leaderboards led to higher and more accurate self-reported performance than an impossible goal and lower and more accurate than an easy goal. This effect was more pronounced among experienced learners. This suggests that leaderboards balance the advantages of simple and challenging goals, making them particularly effective for experienced learners compared to traditional goal setting. Future gamification research should focus on self-assessment as it may shape future objective performance.