The Impact of Gamified Educational Marketing on Continuous Platform Usage: The Mediating Role of Reward Dependency
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This study examines the impact of gamified educational marketing on continuous platform usage, with reward dependency acting as a mediating variable. The research focuses on Spanish users of gamified educational platforms such as Duolingo, Coursera, Udemy, Babbel, and Domestika. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory, Flow Theory, and Behavioral Reinforcement Theory, the study explores how reward-based mechanisms including points, badges, streaks, and leaderboards influence users’ behavioral engagement and long-term platform retention. A quantitative research design was employed using a cross-sectional online survey distributed among users of gamified educational platforms in Spain. Data were analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that gamified educational marketing significantly increases continuous platform usage and strongly contributes to reward dependency among users. Furthermore, reward dependency positively affects continuous platform usage and partially mediates the relationship between gamified educational marketing and user retention. The study highlights that while gamification effectively enhances engagement and platform continuity, it may also shift learners’ motivation from intrinsic educational interest toward externally regulated reward-seeking behavior. These findings contribute theoretically and practically to gamification, educational marketing, and digital learning research.
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