View in EDS

More Competition, Less Interaction: Gamifying Lectures Using a Leaderboard Reduces Female Students' Social Engagement

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: More Competition, Less Interaction: Gamifying Lectures Using a Leaderboard Reduces Female Students' Social Engagement
Language: English
Authors: Nicolas Michinov (ORCID 0000-0002-6065-8061), Estelle Michinov (ORCID 0000-0001-5872-2450)
Source: Journal of Computing in Higher Education. 2026 38(1):386-412.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 27
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Gamification, Females, Class Rank, Competition, Tests, Psychology, College Students, Interpersonal Relationship, Peer Relationship, Learner Engagement
DOI: 10.1007/s12528-025-09438-4
ISSN: 1042-1726
1867-1233
Abstract: Gamification, which consists of incorporating elements of game design into non-game contexts, has been widely used in educational environments to increase students' engagement. One such gamification strategy has used individual leaderboards, ranking students based on their performance in a particular task or activity such as a quiz. Most research has demonstrated a positive impact of leaderboards on various academic outcomes, and notably cognitive and behavioral engagement. However, as leaderboards are mostly based on competitive processes, they can be socially threatening and lead to a negative impact on social engagement for students who do not value competition, such as female students in psychology. The present study compared a 'leaderboard' condition based on performance on a series of quizzes to a 'non-leaderboard' condition among first-year female psychology students during a series of lectures. Results revealed that, independently of the students' initial competitive orientation, exposure to a leaderboard led to lower social engagement with peers. No effects were found on other forms of engagement. An improvement in performance on quizzes from the first to the last lecture was also observed, independently of whether students were exposed to a leaderboard or not. These findings suggest that the potentially negative effects of leaderboards on students' social engagement should be reconsidered taking into account differing student profiles regarding competition.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: https://osf.io/r48xv
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1509001
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1509001
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: More Competition, Less Interaction: Gamifying Lectures Using a Leaderboard Reduces Female Students' Social Engagement
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nicolas+Michinov%22">Nicolas Michinov</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6065-8061">0000-0002-6065-8061</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Estelle+Michinov%22">Estelle Michinov</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5872-2450">0000-0001-5872-2450</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Computing+in+Higher+Education%22"><i>Journal of Computing in Higher Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 38(1):386-412.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 27
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gamification%22">Gamification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Females%22">Females</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Class+Rank%22">Class Rank</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Competition%22">Competition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tests%22">Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology%22">Psychology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interpersonal+Relationship%22">Interpersonal Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Peer+Relationship%22">Peer Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learner+Engagement%22">Learner Engagement</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1007/s12528-025-09438-4
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1042-1726<br />1867-1233
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Gamification, which consists of incorporating elements of game design into non-game contexts, has been widely used in educational environments to increase students' engagement. One such gamification strategy has used individual leaderboards, ranking students based on their performance in a particular task or activity such as a quiz. Most research has demonstrated a positive impact of leaderboards on various academic outcomes, and notably cognitive and behavioral engagement. However, as leaderboards are mostly based on competitive processes, they can be socially threatening and lead to a negative impact on social engagement for students who do not value competition, such as female students in psychology. The present study compared a 'leaderboard' condition based on performance on a series of quizzes to a 'non-leaderboard' condition among first-year female psychology students during a series of lectures. Results revealed that, independently of the students' initial competitive orientation, exposure to a leaderboard led to lower social engagement with peers. No effects were found on other forms of engagement. An improvement in performance on quizzes from the first to the last lecture was also observed, independently of whether students were exposed to a leaderboard or not. These findings suggest that the potentially negative effects of leaderboards on students' social engagement should be reconsidered taking into account differing student profiles regarding competition.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: Note
  Label: Notes
  Group: Note
  Data: https://osf.io/r48xv
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1509001
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1509001
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s12528-025-09438-4
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 27
        StartPage: 386
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Gamification
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Females
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Class Rank
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Competition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interpersonal Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Peer Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Learner Engagement
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: More Competition, Less Interaction: Gamifying Lectures Using a Leaderboard Reduces Female Students' Social Engagement
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Nicolas Michinov
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Estelle Michinov
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 1042-1726
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1867-1233
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 38
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Computing in Higher Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1