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Article

The Impact of Gamification Motivation on Green Consumption Behavior—An Empirical Study Based on Ant Forest

by
Yongbo Sun
and
Jiayuan Xing
*
Business School, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 512; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010512
Submission received: 10 November 2022 / Revised: 8 December 2022 / Accepted: 26 December 2022 / Published: 28 December 2022
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Abstract

:
The development of the Internet has led to new forms of integration of gamification and environmental protection and has become a new perspective for exploring the emergence of green consumer behavior. In particular, gamification participation motivation has a growing influence on consumers’ green consumption behavior, and the magnitude of gamification participation motivation is transmitted to consumers’ green consumption behavior through their continuity of use. We choose Ant Forest as the research scenario of the integration of green consumption and gamification in China and try to explore the mechanism of the interaction between gamification participation motivation, continuity of use, and green consumption behavior from the perspective of green consumption. This paper tests the hypotheses through empirical research methods and structural equation modeling. The findings show that enjoyment motivation, social motivation, and achievement motivation positively influence consumers’ continuity of use; continuity of use positively influences consumers’ green consumption behavior; and the sense of environmental indebtedness plays a moderating role in the relationship between continuity of use and green consumption behavior.

1. Introduction

As the economy continues to develop, problems such as ecological degradation and excessive carbon emissions have come to the fore. In response, China has proposed to actively and steadily promote a carbon-neutral strategy and has introduced a series of policies to promote green consumption behavior [1]. In the course of their research, scholars have identified several ways to effectively guide individuals to engage in green behavior, but as consumers are influenced by factors such as individual differences in perceived effects when making green consumption decisions, there are barriers between consumer attitudes and actual behavior [2], so it is still worth exploring the factors that influence green consumption behavior. The studies that have been conducted on green consumption behavior focus more on direct green consumption behavior and are still relatively limited to indirect green consumption behavior. In addition, survey results show that green consumption has not yet become a consumption habit for most people [3]. From the perspective of focusing on the common good of human society, one-off green behavior has a limited effect on environmental change and requires long-term consumer participation to make an impact [4]. However, it is more difficult to guide individuals to form long-term green consumption behaviors than a single green consumption behavior [5], and existing research has focused on the impact of user experience and personal attributes on the sustained use behavior of mobile apps [6]. Further research is needed on the question of how to facilitate long-term green consumption behavior among users.
Along with the global popularity of video games, gamification is considered to create immersion for users and stimulate long-term usage behavior [7]. In recent years, the gamification design concept of “incorporating game elements into non-game contexts” has attracted significant attention nationally and internationally. Scholars have demonstrated that gamification can be used to achieve positive behavioral change in users in a variety of domains [8]. Particularly, in the field of energy conservation, there is an urgent need to transform human behavior that negatively affects the environment and to drive sustainable development in society with sustainable consumption behaviors of customers [9]. Scholars have found that the inclusion of gaming elements in non-gaming commercial activities has a significant impact on promoting consumer engagement decisions in the digital environment [10]. Gamification in environmental contexts helps to improve personal attitudes toward environmental protection and drives users to generate practical actions to save energy and protect the environment [11]. The theoretical framework of gamification-driven user green consumption lacks empirical testing due to the relatively few applications of gamification in green consumption scenarios in China. Recent studies have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has helped to stimulate public green consumption behavior [12]. It is widely accepted that positive emotions promote positive behavior. However, there is still a gap in the academic literature addressing the impact of emotions generated by people during negative events on green consumption.
Based on the above gaps, this study selects Ant Forest as a research scenario of the integration of green consumption and gamification in China to explore the mechanism of their effects from the perspective of green consumption by incorporating consumers’ motivation to participate in gamification, their continuity of use of the mobile app, and their green consumption behavior as a whole. Combining persuasion theory, enjoyment motivation (EM), social motivation (SM), and achievement motivation (AM) are considered as motivations for consumers to participate in gamification, individual green consumption behavior (GCB) is considered as a specific behavior generated, and continuity of use (CU) of Ant Forest is considered as a trigger for individual green consumption behavior. Based on the characteristics of Chinese consumers, a sense of environmental indebtedness (SEI) is selected as a moderating variable to explore the mechanism of green consumption behavior. This study also answers the following questions:
  • Is a positive relationship between gamification motivations (enjoyment motivation, social motivation, and achievement motivation) positively influencing green consumption behavior?
  • Does continuity of use mediate between them?
  • Does the sense of environmental indebtedness play a moderating role in the relationship between continuity of use and green consumption behavior?
The theoretical contribution of this study consists of four main points:
  • Based on the persuasion theory, this study explains the relationship between three gamification motivations and green consumption behavior, enriching the research on persuasion theory.
  • The moderating effect of the sense of environmental indebtedness is verified by the influence of continuity of use on green consumption behavior, thus enriching the research on green consumption behavior and the research consumption field of Chinese consumers.
  • This paper expands on the intrinsic meaning of consumers’ green consumption and gamification participation in the online environment.
  • This study also provides a new theoretical basis for how other companies and environmental organizations can use gamification to guide consumers to generate green consumption behavior in their future practice.
We used questionnaires to collect data to demonstrate the relationship between enjoyment motivation, social motivation, achievement motivation, continuity of use, the sense of environmental indebtedness, and green consumption behavior. This paper has five sections, which are structured as follows.
In Section 2, the literature review surveys existing research to identify the research gaps and proposed hypotheses. In Section 3, the research design and methods are presented. Data analysis is conducted in three stages: confirmatory factor analysis, common method bias testing, and hypotheses testing. In Section 4, a discussion is presented, including a general discussion, theoretical implications, practical implications and limitations, and future research.

2. Literature Review and Theoretical Framework

2.1. Based on Persuasion Theory

Persuasion theory was first proposed by an American scholar [13]. The process of persuasion is a process of information dissemination, expressing and transmitting information to the target audience in a certain way to induce corresponding psychological changes in the target audience, thereby changing their attitudes [14]. In short, the audience group will change its attitude, which in turn will lead to a change in behavior [15]. Academics believe that successful persuasion can cause individuals’ attitudes or beliefs to change in the desired direction and lead to specific behaviors. With the development of the Internet, Internet and mobile communication technologies have combined the positive attributes of interpersonal communication and expanded the application of persuasion theory in the field of interpersonal interaction. Persuasion systems with sustainable development can improve the ecologically oriented behavior of individual and organizational users through the use of personal information systems [16].
Gamified persuasion systems construct a new persuasive context. Its advantage lies in the integration of game elements and functions, which makes gamified persuasion theory more interesting and immersive than traditional communication persuasion theory and helps the persuaded audience to accept the persuasive message [17]. Gamification attributes change the user experience and achieve continuous use by users through human–computer interaction as well as interpersonal interaction [18]. For the user, the reliability of the gamification platform and the perceived emotion of the user after using the system can not only increase user stickiness but also promotes the voluntary adaptation of personal habits to environmentally long-term behavior patterns [19]. In the whole process, it is worth further exploring whether the intrinsic factors of consumers themselves can change their attitudes towards usage and, in particular, whether they can enhance their green consumption intentions and behaviors.

2.2. The Influence of Gamification Engagement Motives on Green Consumption Behavior

Gamification can be seen as a process that engages users through game thinking and game mechanics [20]. In online virtual environments, gamification elements motivate customers to take action by altering their mental state and immersing them in it [21]. As adequate motivation is a prerequisite for persuasion theory, the action taken by the individual is the ultimate point of action for persuasion theory and is therefore crucial in the whole process. Based on this, we define the behavioral change that occurs in an individual as a green consumption behavior that occurs as a result of the user’s participation in an online gamified environmental system and becomes a long-term sustainable green consumption habit.
In academics, although there is no clear definition of gamification as a motivation for participation, it has been established that gamification plays a significant role in changing consumer behavior [22]. In studies of information system use, fun is typically an enjoyable emotion and emotional experience [23]. Thus, enjoyment motivation is an important factor influencing users’ acceptance of information systems [24]. Gamification as a form of entertainment makes the user community look for fun in the shopping process, which leads to more purchases [25]. When users’ enjoyment needs are satisfied, the intention to engage in pro-environmental behaviors arises [26]. Users who engage in gamification can enjoy leisure and freedom at the mercy of their respective interests. In the digital economy, players need to connect in games through behaviors such as communication and exchange, thus increasing game stickiness [27]. Along with the development of the Internet, online social interaction has become more convenient, which leads to the influence of interactive behaviors between online customers on individual behavioral decisions that have gradually increased [28]. Furthermore, earning these virtual game rewards in games and as a demonstration of one’s achievements can provide positive psychological feedback to users [29].
Combining the characteristics of gamification and drawing on scholars’ subdivision of gamification participation, motivation is divided into three dimensions: EM, SM, and AM. Through its unique gamification model, Ant Forest reinforces individual behavior change through users’ motivational needs for enjoyment, social, and achievement. Based on this, this paper proposes the following hypotheses:
Hypothesis 1 (H1). 
Enjoyment motivation positively influences green consumption behavior.
Hypothesis 2 (H2). 
Social motivation positively influences green consumption behavior.
Hypothesis 3 (H3). 
Achievement motivation positively influences green consumption behavior.

2.3. The Mediating Role of Continuity of Use

Gamified information systems engage users and encourage them to use the system consistently [30]. Continued willingness to use is facilitated when users hang out in online networks [31]. Enjoyment as the most central feature that games offer to users emphasizes the personal feeling of pleasurable experience that keeps users immersed [32]. Satisfying the user’s need for hedonism can contribute to keeping the user using gamified information systems [26]. Furthermore, in addition to personal enjoyment feelings, gamification promotes interpersonal and human–computer interaction through game instructions and game elements that generate user stickiness and active and continuous engagement [33]. Meanwhile, users who were rewarded with virtual medals and official certificates in the game showed higher satisfaction and increasing the degree of motivation users have for achievement is one of the means to increase the gamification experience and help promote users’ willingness to use it [34].
In green consumption context studies, there is a significant association between willingness and actual behavior [35]. At the same time, consumers are more willing to shift consumption behaviors that have been accumulating through their long-term use [36]. Sustained user use is significantly influenced by gamification design elements that are highly associated with environmental sustainability. In gamified scenarios, enjoyment motivation helps to keep participants engaged over time and to develop behaviors that benefit the environment [37]. The ability for social interaction allows players to experience collaborative communication during long-term immersion in the game, which also has an impact on sustainable environmental behavior [38]. When users can showcase their achievements through long-term environmental efforts, it promotes the continued accumulation of sustainable environmental behavior habits over time [39]. Many users become greener and more environmentally friendly in their travels after use [40]. Therefore, users who can use consistently are not only satisfied with and complete the gamification behavior but will also take action for the continuous gamification experience, thus developing environmentally friendly and green living habits. Based on this, this paper proposes the following hypotheses:
Hypothesis 4 (H4). 
Enjoyment motivation positively influences continuity of use.
Hypothesis 5 (H5). 
Social motivation positively influences continuity of use.
Hypothesis 6 (H6). 
Achievement motivation positively influences continuity of use.
Hypothesis 7 (H7). 
Continuity of use positively influences green consumption behavior.
Hypothesis 8 (H8). 
Continuity of use mediates between enjoyment motivation and green consumption behavior.
Hypothesis 9 (H9). 
Continuity of use mediates between social motivation and green consumption behavior.
Hypothesis 10 (H10). 
Continuity of use mediates between achievement motivation and green consumption behavior.

2.4. The Moderating Role of the Sense of Environmental Indebtedness

A sense of environmental indebtedness is a voluntary effort by consumers to compensate for the emotional experience of the environment, constrained by self-ethical norms [41]. Studies have shown that influenced by Chinese cultural orientations, consumers tend to consider the future impact of the behavior when performing it [42]. When confronted with pollution in the current environment, consumers develop feelings of apprehension and guilt about the environment [43]. Even though feelings of guilt and indebtedness act as negative emotions for people, they play a positive role in influencing people to act by social norms and ethical constraints [44]. When consumers feel negative emotions, they increase their willingness to buy products that conform to social norms [45]. It has been shown that feelings of environmental guilt trigger a sense of moral obligation among Chinese consumers, which in turn leads to green consumption behavior as a personal act of compensation for alleviating the ecological crisis [46]. The degree of environmental guilt as a personal emotional experience for consumers is influenced by differences in individual consumer characteristics [47]. Thus, along with a gradual deepening of internal feelings of environmental guilt, consumers with higher levels of environmental guilt tend to develop a higher sense of moral obligation and are more inclined to engage in eco-friendly behaviors to compensate for negative feelings. Continued use helps users to develop green consumption habits and helps consumers with a high sense of environmental indebtedness to find ways to compensate for the ecological environment. Conversely, consumers who have a low sense of environmental indebtedness are less likely to perceive themselves as having a moral obligation to compensate for environmental indebtedness and therefore do not feel the psychological experience of compensating for their environmental indebtedness through continued use of the gamification system. Based on this, the following hypothesis is proposed:
Hypothesis 11 (H11). 
The sense of environmental indebtedness moderates the relationship between continuity of use and green consumption behavior. That is, the continued use intentions of those with higher environmental indebtedness promote more positive green consumption behavior than those with lower environmental indebtedness.
The theoretical model of this study is illustrated in Figure 1.

3. Research Methods and Design

3.1. Research Scenarios

Ant Forest is a mobile game app included within the Alipay App launched by Alibaba Group in 2016, but it is gamified for the purpose of environmental protection, which is different from the purpose of traditional games [40]. In the Ant Forest system, each user can generate green energy through their daily green life (green travel, second-hand recycling, online payment, paperless ticket payment, reducing the use of disposable takeaway utensils, and other low-carbon behaviors) and can also share green energy through the interactive transfer between friends. Once a certain amount of energy has been accumulated, a virtual tree or nature reserve can be planted in the system, and then a real tree can be planted in a real drought-stricken area of China with a donation from Ant Forest. Individual users and their friends can view their green ‘certificates’ and ‘badges’ and other achievements by clicking on their Ant Forest home page. By 2021, over 600 million online green users of Ant Forest will have participated in Ant Forest’s low-carbon activities. They had generated more than 20 million tons of green energy in the form of low-carbon projects and planted 326 million trees in 11 provinces, covering a total area of more than 3.97 million mu [48], making a significant impact on environmental good [49]. The reasons for selecting Ant Forest as the research scenario in this study are as follows: (1) Ant Forest fits the research objectives. Ant Forest distinguishes itself from other gamification applications in the market by taking into account both gamification and green attributes. (2) Ant Forest is original and inspiring. The theory behind the gamification experience not only increases the stickiness of the application but also promotes the development of green behavior. (3) Ant Farm has ease of access to information. Currently, Ant Forest has over 600 million online green users. The relatively wide range of user groups is conducive to the collection of questionnaire data, providing a guarantee for the credibility and validity of the study.

3.2. Questionnaire Design and Study Sample

The scales used in this study were revised based on the domestic and international literature, and the scales used to measure EM, SM, AM, CU, SEI, and GCB are relatively mature research scales used in the previous literature. Among them, EM is mainly referred to [26], SM is mainly referred to [50], AM is mainly referred to [29], CU is mainly referred to [40], SEI is mainly referred to [46], and individual GCB is mainly referred to [19]. In the questionnaire design, the six variables of EM, SM, AM, CU, SEI, and GCB were measured on a 5-point Likert scale, with numbers 1 to 5 indicating completely disagree, relatively disagree, neutral, relatively agree, and completely agree, respectively.
A small pre-test was conducted and two experts in the field were invited to remove some ambiguous entries, resulting in Table 1. Moreover, 5-point Likert scales, ranging from 1 to 5 for strongly disagree to strongly agree, were used in this questionnaire to measure different consumer attitudes. To ensure the validity of the data, two screening questions, “Have you ever used Ant Forest at least once” and “Have you ever used the mobile Alipay app”, were also used to screen the sample.
The formal questionnaire was used to target a sample of Ant Forest users who have used the Alipay app through a social networking platform using a virtual snowball sampling technique, via specific microblogging super-talk and groups on Ant Forest. The questionnaires were distributed from 10 June to 10 July 2022 and lasted for 30 days. A total of 600 questionnaires were distributed and 70 questionnaires that were incomplete, did not answer seriously, or did not match the age of the survey were excluded, leaving 530 valid questionnaires, with a valid questionnaire return rate of 88.33%, indicating a good overall return of questionnaires.
Four demographic variables commonly used in consumer behavior research, namely, gender, educational background, occupation, and age, were also selected for this study, and the sample data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 software. The valid sample composition of the formal survey is shown in Table 2.

3.3. Reliability Analysis

We used SPSS 26.0 software for reliability analysis and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient method to test the consistency between the scores of the question items of the overall scale. As Table 3 shows, the Cronbach’s alpha values for the six variables in this paper (EM, SM, AM, CU, SEI, and GCB) were 0.827, 0.797, 0.812, 0.806, 0.84, and 0.838, respectively, all of which were greater than the criterion of 0.7, indicating that the scales in this study had good internal consistency and reliability.

3.4. Validity Analysis

The validity of the scale was tested by KMO and Barlett’s spherical test, which yielded a KMO value of 0.858 and a Chi-Square value of 4540.425 for Barlett’s spherical test (171 degrees of freedom), with a p-value of <0.001, which was significant enough for the next step of factor analysis. The standardized factor loadings for all items were greater than 0.6, with some of them greater than 0.8, indicating that the scale has good construct validity.
In this study, a validation factor analysis was conducted on six variables, namely, enjoyment motivation, social motivation, achievement motivation, continuity of use, sense of environmental indebtedness, and green consumer behavior, to test the reliability and discriminant validity of the scale. The CR for enjoyment motivation was 0.851 and the AVE was 0.657; the CR for social motivation was 0.839 and the AVE was 0.636; the CR for achievement motivation was 0.851 and the AVE was 0.655; the CR for continuity of use was 0.847 and the AVE was 0.649; and the CR for environmental deprivation was 0.852 and the AVE was 0.658. All items had a combined reliability (CR) higher than the standard value of 0.7, and the extracted variance (AVE) was higher than the standard value of 0.5. This indicates that the scale used in this study has good combined reliability and discriminant validity.
As shown in Table 3, the square root of each latent variable AVE value was greater than their correlation coefficient values with the other factors, thus indicating good discriminant validity of the study scale data. In addition, the table shows that there are significant correlations between enjoyment motivation, social motivation, achievement motivation, continuity of use, sense of environmental indebtedness, and body green consumption behavior, indicating that further regression analysis can be conducted.
A validated factor analysis was conducted using AMOS 23.0 on the following five variables: enjoyment motivation, social motivation, achievement motivation, continuity of use, and individual green consumption behavior. The results in Table 4 show that the model fit for the five factors (X2 = 255.597, df = 94, X2/df = 2.719, RMSEA = 0.057, CFI = 0.954, GFI = 0.944, AGFI = 0.919) was significantly better than the other nested models.
Using AMOS 26.0 software, the relationship between the variables was tested by structural equation modeling. Enjoyment, social, and achievement motivation positively impacted green consumption behavior, and continuity of use positively impacted green consumption behavior. The results of model fit are shown in Figure 2.

3.5. Common Method Deviation Test

As all data were taken from the same questionnaire, this could lead to homoscedasticity bias or common method variation. Therefore, the paper was tested using the Harman one-factor method, i.e., a principal factor component analysis was conducted on all items of the latent variable. The results indicated that there were four factors in total. The cumulative explained variance of the factor analysis was 80.774%. The explanatory power of the variance of the four factors from small to large is 14.457%, 20.020%, 22.907%, and 23.389%, of which the maximum explanatory power of a single factor is only 23.389%, less than the critical value of 50%. There is no problem that the common contribution rate of a single factor is not too high.

3.6. Hypothesis Testing and Model Analysis

The study used AMOS 23.0 and SPSS 26.0 software to test the hypotheses of the model’s basic path. Next, the mediating effect of continued willingness to use and the moderating effect of perceived environmental indebtedness was tested separately.

3.6.1. Mediating Effects of Continued Intention to Use

Drawing on the three-step test for mediating effects proposed by Baron (1986), the following steps were taken in this study, and the results are presented in Table 5. The first step was to run a regression with the dependent variable as the independent variable to test the direct effects of EM, SM, and AM on green consumption behavior. Model 2 showed that EM had a significant effect on GCB (β = 0.344, p < 0.001), proving that H1 holds; model 4 showed that SM had a significant effect on GCB (β = 0.329, p < 0.001), proving that H4 holds; model 6 showed that AM had a significant effect on GCB (β = 0.343, p < 0.001), proving that H6 holds; and models 10, 11, and 12 show that EM has a positive effect on CU, SM has a positive effect on CU, and AM has a positive effect on CU (β = 0.294, p < 0.001; β = 0.317, p < 0.001; β = 0.325, p < 0.001), proving that H1–H6 holds.
In the second step, the mediating variables were regressed as independent variables. Model 8 showed a significant effect of CU (β = 0.356, p < 0.001), proving that H7 holds.
The third step was to regress the dependent variable on the independent and mediating variables. Firstly, in model 3, it was shown that there was a significant effect of CU on GCB (β = 0.270, p < 0.001). At this point, EM (β = 0.265, p < 0.001) still had a significant effect on GCB. Secondly, in terms of SM, model 5 showed that CU had a significant effect on GCB (β = 0.283, p < 0.001). At this point, SM (β = 0.239, p < 0.001) still had a significant effect on GCB. Thirdly, in terms of AM, model 7 showed a significant effect of CU on GCB (β = 0.272, p < 0.001). At this point, AM (β = 0.255, p < 0.001) still had a significant effect on GCB. In summary, there is a mediating effect of CU between EM, SM, and AM on GCB, and it is partially mediated, proving that H8, H9, and H10 hold true.
To further test the mediating effect, a non-parametric percentile bootstrap is now used and the test results are shown in Table 6. According to the literature, the number of bootstrap samples was set at a set number of 5000, and a bias-corrected 95% confidence interval was used to verify the significance of the mediating effect. The confidence interval for the social motivation-continuous use intention-green consumption behavior mediated path does not contain 0 (0.058, 0.127), which confirms hypothesis 9; the confidence interval for the achievement motivation-continuous use intention-green consumption behavior mediated path does not contain 0 (0.056, 0.126), which confirms hypothesis 10. In summary, the mediating effect of subjective norms and perceived value between social media information sharing on green product purchase intentions exists and is partially mediated.

3.6.2. Moderating Effect of the Sense of Environmental Indebtedness

In this study, regression analysis was further adopted to verify the relationship between the variables. Before validation, the mediating variable (CU) and the moderating variable (SEI) were centralized to avoid covariance problems, and the specific results are shown in Table 7.
According to Table 7, in model 4 (M4), the interaction term of CU and SEI is significantly related to the dependent variable green consumption behavior (β = 0.186, p < 0.001). Based on the above judgment criteria, hypothesis 11 was verified, i.e., the effects of CU and GCB would vary depending on SEI.
To further test Hypothesis 11, the results of the bootstrap method, based on 5000 replicate samples, are shown in Table 8. When consumers’ SEI is low, the confidence interval contains zero (CI = [−0.008,0.192]) and the mediating effect is not significant. When consumer SEI perceptions were high, the effect of CU on moderated GCB was more significant (β = 0.484, 95% CI = [0.377,0.591], p < 0.001). Thus, Hypothesis 11 is further refined: for high SEI (vs. low SEI) consumers, the effect of CU on GCB is stronger for this group. For consumers with low SEI, the positive effect of CU on GCB is less pronounced. In order to more visually explain the moderating effect of SEI, the results were plotted. The solid line represents low SEI, and the dotted line represents high SEI (as shown in Figure 3).

4. Conclusions and Implications

4.1. Conclusions

This study takes Ant Forest as the research context, takes users who participate in the gamification experience as the research object, and combines with persuasion theory to construct a model of the influence mechanism of gamification participation motivation on green consumption behavior, through a questionnaire survey empirical research and through structural equation modeling to analyze and verify the following main conclusions:
  • Enjoyment motivation, social motivation, and achievement motivation all have a positive impact on users’ continuity of use of the game in the direct path. This is in line with motivation theory and previous research findings, and again validates the influence of consumers’ enjoyment, social, and achievement motivations on the intention to continue using the app in the process of gamification. In addition, enjoyment motivation, social motivation, and achievement motivation have a balanced impact on consumers’ intention to continue using the app, suggesting that the inclusion of entertainment, interaction, and demonstration of users’ abilities in the game experience will enhance consumers’ continuity of use of the app.
  • Enjoyment motivation, social motivation, and achievement motivation, respectively, influence green consumption behavior through mediating variables of continuity of use. The influences of gaming elements on consumers’ online purchase decisions [10] and the impact of gamification experiences on actual usage [51] have been confirmed in the literature. However, this study develops a more novel perspective: the mediating role of app continued usage intention to confirm that users’ continued usage intention blends multiple motivations of enjoyment, social, and achievement, which in turn promotes green consumption behavior.
  • The relationship between persistent use intention and green consumption behavior is positively mediated by the sense of environmental indebtedness, with a high sense of environmental indebtedness contributing more to the positive effect of persistent use intention on green consumption behavior than a low sense of environmental indebtedness. In other words, the higher the level of environmental indebtedness, the longer the app is used, and the higher the level of green living. However, for the group of consumers with a low level of environmental indebtedness, the relationship between willingness to continue using the app and green consumption behavior was not significantly moderated by the feeling of environmental indebtedness. Because the sense of environmental indebtedness is a psychological characteristic variable, consumers with a low sense of environmental indebtedness can hardly feel the negative emotions brought about by environmental degradation, and therefore do not have the psychology to compensate for the sense of environmental indebtedness in the process of continued use, and thus do not have the internal driving force to implement green consumption behavior.

4.2. Research Contribution

Guided by persuasion theory, this paper investigates the mechanism of gamified participation motivation on green consumption behavior in terms of the moderating role of environmental indebtedness perception. The main theoretical and practical contributions of this study are as follows:
  • Focusing on the intersection of environmental protection and gamification, we focused on the scenario where green consumption and online gamification merge in China and used Ant Forest as the gamification research context to conduct an empirical study based on persuasion theory through users’ gamification participation motives. The findings confirm the path model of gamification influencing consumers’ green behavior proposed by existing studies [26], bridging the gap between the relevant gap in the empirical research. Based on this research, the categories of users’ motivations for gamification participation were divided into enjoyment, social, and achievement motivations based on previous research. The study shows that all three motivations have a positive impact on green consumption behavior. This not only theoretically improves the connotation of consumers’ motivation to engage in gamification but also better explores the underlying mechanisms that influence consumers’ green consumption behavior.
  • The relationship between gamification participation motivation, continuity of use, and green consumption behavior is not clear in the existing studies and lacks the support of relevant empirical studies. For example, in the field of gamification, separate studies have examined the impact of online immersion on users’ willingness to continue using [32] and the impact of game design elements on consumers’ long-term engagement and environmental behavior [40]. The literature on Ant Forest, on the other hand, has focused on the impact of gamification on continued use [6]. This study is the first attempt to incorporate users’ motivation to engage in gamification, their continuity of use of online applications, and consumers’ green consumption behavior into a single study from the perspective of green consumption and to explore the mechanism of the interaction between the three, providing a new theoretical basis for studying consumers’ green consumption and gamification participation in the online environment.
  • The existing literature is more concerned with the generation of green consumption behavior and less concerned with the long-term habit formation of green consumption behavior. We find that users’ motivation to engage in gamification promotes the willingness to continuously engage in gamification, which drives users to shift towards pro-environmental behaviors. The whole process of continuous participation in gamification cultivates users to live with a greener and more environmentally friendly consumption pattern, broadening the scope of research on green consumption behavior.
  • Using consumers’ sense of environmental indebtedness as a moderating variable, we explore the influence of consumers’ negative psychological emotions on the relationship between continued use intentions and green consumption behavior. Existing scholars studying green consumption behavior and its influencing mechanism have added consumer psychological variables such as satisfaction, perceived value, and trust into the model, but few scholars have cut in from the perspective of negative psychological emotions. We add a sense of environmental indebtedness to the model in the context of China’s reality, exploring the influence of consumer psychology on the relationship between continuity of use and green consumption behavior from an innovative perspective, expanding the focus of such research and providing a new direction for future research on the influencing factors of green consumption.

4.3. Practical Implications

  • Gamification helps to alleviate the sense of oppression in the process of green development and transformation, making the process of persuasion easier and more relaxed and effectively guiding individuals to voluntarily change their behavior in a positive direction without forcing their will. Therefore, the government should grasp the degree of gamification in the process of using gamification promotion policies. It should give full play to the advantages of gamification and weaken the sense of coercion for users so as not to create bad emotions that would make it difficult to popularize, and it should also use gamification elements in moderation so that the real purpose of gamification can be understood after the user’s gamification experience and promote the effective implementation of the policy.
  • As a tool that has emerged in the digital age, environmental games have the flexibility and operability to be used. For people living a fast-paced modern life, the simplicity of the interface and the low time cost attract users to practice environmental protection in their spare time, thus making it easier to indirectly develop a green lifestyle. Compared to direct green consumption, indirect green consumption also has practical significance. This form of indirect green consumption is worth considering for environmental organizations and companies to follow up and guide consumers to green behavior.
  • In terms of company operations, gamification marketing, for example, can be an integral part of an organization’s operational business strategy, and the appropriate inclusion of gamification can promote user stickiness and help the organization gain access to revenue [52]. At the same time, companies making a public service effort will help to increase customer goodwill and improve the corporate image [53]. Therefore, companies can adopt a blend of gamification and environmental topics when developing their marketing strategies to value the feeling of customer engagement, maintain a good corporate image, and form long-term development.
  • The users of the gamification platform are both users of the gamification platform and members of the green urban environment construction. Therefore, they should consciously establish an awareness of environmental protection, regulate their daily living habits while enjoying the relaxing experience brought by gamification, and actively contribute to the construction of a low-carbon city.

4.4. Limitations and Future Research

  • We chose Ant Forest as the research context for environmental protection and gamification, and the sample groups involved are mostly post-75s, post-85s and post-95s. Future research can explore the participation motivation and green consumption behavior of older groups on environmental protection gamification platforms to improve the generalizability of the study.
  • This paper uses persuasion theory to initially explore the relationship between gamification motivation and green consumer behavior, and future research could try to use other theories to analyze the relationship from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, Y.S.; Methodology, J.X.; Software, J.X.; Validation, Y.S.; Formal analysis, Y.S.; Investigation, J.X.; Resources, Y.S.; Writing—original draft, J.X.; Writing—review & editing, J.X.; Supervision, Y.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was supported by the Key Project of Social Science Planning of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission [Grant number SZ202010011007].

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

Not applicable.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Figure 1. The theoretical framework for the impact of gamification engagement motives on green consumption behavior.
Figure 1. The theoretical framework for the impact of gamification engagement motives on green consumption behavior.
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Figure 2. The results of the model fit. Notes. *** p < 0.001.
Figure 2. The results of the model fit. Notes. *** p < 0.001.
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Figure 3. Moderating effect of SEI.
Figure 3. Moderating effect of SEI.
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Table
Table 1. Variable measure entries and validity tests.
Table 1. Variable measure entries and validity tests.
VariablesItemsFactor LoadingCRAVE
EMAntforest is fun to use.0.8420.8510.657
I enjoy using Ant Forest.0.801
Using Ant Forest makes me feel good.0.787
SMUsing Antforest helps me to interact with my friends.0.7670.8390.636
Using Ant Forest will increase my chances of interacting with my friends.0.760
Using Ant Forest facilitates conversation with my friends.0.861
AMI feel a sense of achievement when I plant a tree in Ant Forest.0.7610.8510.655
I feel satisfied when I get an Ant Forest medal.0.815
I think the time and effort I put into Ant Forest is worth it to get a top ranking.0.850
CUI will continue to use Ant Forest.0.8450.8470.649
I will use Ant Forest more often.0.798
I will introduce my friends and family to Ant Forest.0.773
SEII would feel indebted if I kept taking from the environment and not giving back.0.7920.8520.658
I think everyone is responsible for the damage to the environment0.776
I would feel bad if I didn’t do something good for the environment.0.863
GCBI have been collecting green energy every day since I started Ant Forest.0.7320.8570.602
Since using Ant Forest, I prefer to live and consume in a way that generates green energy.0.763
Since I used Ant Forest, my lifestyle has become healthier and greener.0.877
I have become more environmentally conscious since I used Ant Forest.0.722
Table
Table 2. Descriptive statistics.
Table 2. Descriptive statistics.
GenderFrequency Percentage
Male27952.64
Female25147.36
Education
Below highschool101.89
Highschool122.26
Bachelor34364.72
Master and above16531.13
Occupation
Non-student32461.13
Student20638.87
Age
Below 2514827.92
25–3418033.96
35–4417933.77
Above 44234.34
Table
Table 3. Means, standard deviations, and correlations (n = 530).
Table 3. Means, standard deviations, and correlations (n = 530).
VariablesCronbach’s α123456
EM0.8270.811
SM0.7970.394 ***0.797
AM0.8120.331 ***0.276 ***0.809
CU0.8060.315 ***0.313 ***0.327 ***0.806
SEI0.840.395 ***0.415 ***0.379 ***0.359 ***0.811
GCB0.8380.383 ***0.344 ***0.362 ***0.378 ***0.355 ***0.776
Mean 3.3813.3533.4383.363.2773.324
SD 1.020.9470.9720.9621.0510.913
Notes. *** p < 0.001.
Table
Table 4. Results of confirmatory factor analysis.
Table 4. Results of confirmatory factor analysis.
ModelX2dfX2/dfRMSEACFIGFIAGFI
Five-factor model255.597942.7190.0570.9540.9440.919
Four-factor model278.917952.9360.0600.9480.940.914
Three-factor model305.648953.2170.0650.9410.9320.902
Two-factor model335.328963.4930.0690.9340.9240.89
One-factor model383.538973.9540.0750.9250.9130.869
Note: Five-factor model: EM, SM, AM, CU, GCB; Four-factor model: EM+ SM, AM, CU, GCBr; Three-factor model: EM+ SM+ AM, CU, GCB; Two-factor model: EM+ SM+ AM, CU+ GCB; One-factor model: EM+ SM+ AM+ CU+ GCB.
Table
Table 5. Result of main and mediating effects.
Table 5. Result of main and mediating effects.
VariableGCBCU
M1M2M3M4M5M6M7M8M9M10M11M12
Control
Constant3.398 ***2.284 ***1.644 ***2.254 ***1.627 ***2.291 ***1.673 ***2.214 ***3.324 ***2.372 ***2.221 ***2.275 ***
Gender−0.09−0.031−0.019−0.059−0.041−0.066−0.047−0.056−0.094−0.044−0.065−0.072
Age0.002−0.045−0.0480.006−0.010.004−0.011−0.0170.0530.0140.0570.055
Education0.005−0.012−0.0150.0140.005−0.028−0.026−0.0030.0230.0090.032−0.008
Occupation−0.115−0.078−0.064−0.111−0.089−0.147−0.116−0.086−0.082−0.05−0.078−0.112
Independent
EM 0.344 ***0.265 *** 0.294 ***
SM 0.329 ***0.239 *** 0.317 ***
AM 0.343 ***0.255 *** 0.325 ***
Mediator
CU 0.270 *** 0.283 *** 0.272 ***0.356 ***
R20.0070.1520.2250.1230.2030.140.2130.1470.0050.10.1020.112
∆R2 0.1440.2160.1150.1940.1320.2040.139 0.0920.0930.103
F0.94118.85625.3314.70422.15817.02123.5318.1080.61711.67511.88213.206
Notes. *** p < 0.001.
Table
Table 6. Specific analysis of the mediating effects.
Table 6. Specific analysis of the mediating effects.
SIEEffectSELLCIULCIResult of Hypothesis Test
EM-CU-GCB0.0790.0170.0480.115Accept H8
SM-CU-GCB0.090.0180.0580.127Accept H9
AM-CU-GCB0.0880.0180.0560.126Accept H10
Table
Table 7. The result of moderating effects.
Table 7. The result of moderating effects.
VariableGCB
M1M2M3M4
Control
Constant3.398 ***2.214 ***1.791 ***1.565 ***
Gender−0.09−0.056−0.044−0.024
Age0.002−0.017−0.018−0.016
Education0.005−0.003−0.0060.024
Occupation−0.115−0.086−0.11−0.108
Independent
CU 0.356 ***0.269 ***0.285 ***
Moderator
SEI 0.221 ***0.229 ***
Interaction term
CU*SEI 0.186 ***
R20.0070.1470.2040.246
∆R2 0.1390.1950.236
F0.94118.10822.29124.394
Notes. *** p < 0.001.
Table
Table 8. Moderated mediation test based on SEI moderating path analysis.
Table 8. Moderated mediation test based on SEI moderating path analysis.
ModeratorIndexBootSEBootLLCIBootULCI
Low-SEI0.0920.051−0.0080.192
High-SEI0.4840.0550.3770.591
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Sun, Y.; Xing, J. The Impact of Gamification Motivation on Green Consumption Behavior—An Empirical Study Based on Ant Forest. Sustainability 2023, 15, 512. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010512

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Sun Y, Xing J. The Impact of Gamification Motivation on Green Consumption Behavior—An Empirical Study Based on Ant Forest. Sustainability. 2023; 15(1):512. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010512

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Sun, Yongbo, and Jiayuan Xing. 2023. "The Impact of Gamification Motivation on Green Consumption Behavior—An Empirical Study Based on Ant Forest" Sustainability 15, no. 1: 512. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010512

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