Gamified Digital Apps and Their Utilization to Improve Health Behaviors in the 21st Century

This chapter builds on Hansen and Scheier by further examining the intersection of game-based learning and digital health promotion apps. The intersection of digital technology and health promotion is an intriguing space given that cost-effective technologies backed by strong theory and implementation science can advance health promotion strategies. Gamification extends asynchronous computer-mediated communication by creating a sense of immersion in the virtual space, socially interacting, and experiencing strong social identifications. This produces feelings of “flow” reported as a stoppage of time and mitigating surrounding intrusive events. Avatars provide pedagogical supports to increase situational awareness, deepening their presence in the digital game world. Players can learn from these interactions, building rapport and developing social connections that might otherwise not be possible in different contexts. Gamified digital technology capitalizes on instructional technology, learning theory, and social identification in ways that can advance health behavior change.