{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T18:08:20Z","timestamp":1790186900464,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790121600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Gamification in physical education is an active methodology that fosters student engagement. However, few studies have examined its influences based on the types of elements in gamification. This study analyzed and compared the effects of these factors on motivation, future physical activity intention and basic psychological needs. The intervention was conducted with secondary school students in Spain during 8 physical education sessions in different schools. The 209 participants were divided into 3 groups: a control group (CG), a group where intrinsic gamification elements predominated (InMG), and another where extrinsic elements predominated (ExMG). Participants completed the questionnaires before and after the intervention. The results revealed a significant time\u2009\u00d7\u2009group interaction effect for perceived competence (p\u2009=\u2009.023) and future physical activity intention (p\u2009=\u2009.02). Although these interactions did not derive from statistically significant post-hoc pairwise comparisons, descriptive trends revealed a tendency toward an increase in perceived competence for both the ExMG and InMG, and a specific upward tendency for future physical activity intention only within the InMG. No significant effects were observed for the remaining motivational regulations, which remained stable across all conditions. In conclusion, the findings delineate the specific and nuanced impacts of the two evaluated gamification profiles. While both the InMG and ExMG frameworks were associated with a descriptive tendency toward a slight improvement in students\u2019 perceived competence compared to the CG, the InMG profile suggested a possible descriptive advantage in fostering intentions for future physical practice that requires further confirmation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0358950","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T17:38:49Z","timestamp":1790185129000},"page":"e0358950","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Exploring the impact of gamified elements on motivation-related variables in physical education"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-2963-8867","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Mario","family":"Tudela-Petit","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Universitat de Val\u00e8ncia","place":["Val\u00e8ncia, Spain"],"department":["Department of Teaching Physical Education, Arts and Music"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2999-9386","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Adri\u00e0","family":"Marco-Ahull\u00f3","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Treatment and Methodology, Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Valencia","place":["Val\u00e8ncia, Spain"],"department":["Department of Personality Psychology"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hugo","family":"Centelles-Lodeiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Universitat de Val\u00e8ncia","place":["Val\u00e8ncia, Spain"],"department":["Department of Teaching Physical Education, Arts and Music"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5925-4537","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Xavier","family":"Garc\u00eda-Mass\u00f3","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Universitat de Val\u00e8ncia","place":["Val\u00e8ncia, Spain"],"department":["Department of Teaching Physical Education, Arts and Music"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0358950.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"270","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ypmed.2014.07.033","article-title":"Self-determined motivation and physical activity in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"67","author":"K B Owen","year":"2014","journal-title":"Prev Med"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0358950.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.1080\/17408989.2015.1123238","article-title":"Impact of a sustained cooperative learning intervention on student motivation","volume":"22","author":"J Fernandez-Rio","year":"2016","journal-title":"Phy Edu Sport Pedagogy"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0358950.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"220","DOI":"10.5964\/ejop.9885","article-title":"Effects of social media social comparisons and identity processes on body image satisfaction in late adolescence","volume":"19","author":"T Martinac Dor\u010di\u0107","year":"2023","journal-title":"Eur J Psychol"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"576","DOI":"10.1080\/17408989.2023.2256771","article-title":"Exploring students experiences of secondary school Physical Education in England","volume":"30","author":"K Hemingway","year":"2025","journal-title":"Phy Edu Sport Pedagogy"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103247","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tate.2020.103247","article-title":"Self-determination theory in physical education: a systematic review of qualitative studies","volume":"99","author":"RL White","year":"2021","journal-title":"Teach Teacher Edu"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101860","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cedpsych.2020.101860","article-title":"Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: definitions, theory, practices, and future directions","volume":"61","author":"RM Ryan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Contemp Edu Psychol"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0358950.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"143","DOI":"10.3390\/computers12070143","article-title":"Adaptive gamification in science education: an analysis of the impact of implementation and adapted game elements on students\u2019 motivation","volume":"12","author":"A-I Zourmpakis","year":"2023","journal-title":"Computers"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref008","volume-title":"For the win: How game thinking can revolutionize your business","author":"K Werbach","year":"2012"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref009","first-page":"11","volume":"16","author":"M Tudela-Petit","year":"2024","journal-title":"Revisi\u00f3n narrativa sobre la gamificaci\u00f3n en Educaci\u00f3n F\u00edsica: desde la \u201cpuntificaci\u00f3n\u201d hasta la gamificaci\u00f3n adaptativa: Narrative Review of Gamification in Physical Education: From \u201cPointification\u201d to Adaptive Gamification. Papeles"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref010","first-page":"3","volume-title":"Situated motivational affordances of game elements: A conceptual model","author":"S Deterding","year":"2011"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0358950.ref011","first-page":"46","article-title":"Application of innovative teaching-learning methodologies in the classroom. Coaching, flipped-classroom and gamification. A case study of success","volume":"6","author":"C G\u00f3mez-Ejerique","year":"2019","journal-title":"MultJEduSocTecSci"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0358950.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"540","DOI":"10.3390\/educsci12080540","article-title":"Gamification in physical education: a systematic review","volume":"12","author":"V Arufe-Gir\u00e1ldez","year":"2022","journal-title":"Edu Sci"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref013","first-page":"1519880","author":"Q Zhang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Meta-analysis on investigating and comparing the effects on learning achievement and motivation for gamification and game-based learning. Education Research International"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0358950.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"160","DOI":"10.1080\/17408989.2022.2039611","article-title":"The effects of gamification on the motivation and basic psychological needs of secondary school physical education students","volume":"29","author":"VJ Sotos-Mart\u00ednez","year":"2022","journal-title":"Phy Edu Sport Pedagogy"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0358950.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1875","DOI":"10.1007\/s11423-020-09807-z","article-title":"The impact of gamification in educational settings on student learning outcomes: a meta-analysis","volume":"68","author":"R Huang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Edu Tech Res Dev"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref016","first-page":"43","article-title":"Cognitive evaluation theory","author":"EL Deci","year":"1985","journal-title":"Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Springer US"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0358950.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"627","DOI":"10.1037\/0033-2909.125.6.627","article-title":"A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation","volume":"125","author":"EL Deci","year":"1999","journal-title":"Psychol Bull"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0358950.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1089\/g4h.2023.0059","article-title":"The \u201cSTAR WARS: the first jedi\u201d program-effects of gamification on psychological well-being of college students","volume":"13","author":"C Navarro-Mateos","year":"2024","journal-title":"Games Health J"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"444","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2021.06.070","article-title":"Psychological interventions of virtual gamification within academic intrinsic motivation: a systematic review","volume":"293","author":"J Xu","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Affect Disord"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0358950.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.3390\/educsci13020183","article-title":"Game-based learning and gamification in physical education: a systematic review","volume":"13","author":"R Camacho-S\u00e1nchez","year":"2023","journal-title":"Education Sciences"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref021","first-page":"517","author":"SF Forde","year":"2015","journal-title":"Informational vs. controlling gamification: a study design. proceedings of the 2015 annual symposium on computer-human interaction in play. New York, NY, USA: Association for Computing Machinery"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0358950.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.1080\/15213269.2012.673850","article-title":"Need satisfaction supportive game features as motivational determinants: an experimental study of a self-determination theory guided exergame","volume":"15","author":"W Peng","year":"2012","journal-title":"Media Psychology"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref023","volume-title":"Actionable gamification: beyond points, badges, and leaderboards","author":"Y Chou","year":"2019"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0358950.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"842","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-018-5764-3","article-title":"Study protocol of the quasi-experimental evaluation of \u201cKEIGAAF\u201d: a context-based physical activity and nutrition intervention for primary school children","volume":"18","author":"SRB Verjans-Janssen","year":"2018","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111","DOI":"10.1186\/1479-5868-10-111","article-title":"Testing a self-determination theory model of children\u2019s physical activity motivation: a cross-sectional study","volume":"10","author":"SJ Sebire","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0358950.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"343","DOI":"10.1111\/j.2044-8287.1997.tb00548.x","article-title":"A self\u2010determination theory approach to the study of intentions and the intention\u2013behaviour relationship in children\u2019s physical activity","volume":"2","author":"NLD Chatzisarantis","year":"1997","journal-title":"British J Health Psychol"},{"issue":"13","key":"pone.0358950.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4844","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17134844","article-title":"Transformational teaching in physical education and students\u2019 leisure-time physical activity: the mediating role of learning climate, passion and self-determined motivation","volume":"17","author":"I Castillo","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0358950.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.1017\/S1138741600001724","article-title":"Preliminary validation in Spanish of a scale designed to measure motivation in physical education classes: the Perceived Locus of Causality (PLOC) scale","volume":"12","author":"JA Moreno Murcia","year":"2009","journal-title":"Span J Psychol"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103874","DOI":"10.1016\/j.compedu.2020.103874","article-title":"Psychological effects of gamified didactics with exergames in Physical Education at primary schools: Results from a natural experiment","volume":"152","author":"A Quintas","year":"2020","journal-title":"Comp Edu"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0358950.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1444","DOI":"10.1037\/edu0000420","article-title":"Self-determination theory applied to physical education: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"112","author":"D Vasconcellos","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Edu Psychol"},{"issue":"21","key":"pone.0358950.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4212","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph16214212","article-title":"The influence of the social context on motivation towards the practice of physical activity and the intention to be physically active","volume":"16","author":"R Trigueros","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0358950.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1521","DOI":"10.1080\/08870446.2010.538849","article-title":"Changes in need satisfaction and motivation orientation as predictors of psychological and behavioural outcomes in exercise referral","volume":"26","author":"RJ Rahman","year":"2011","journal-title":"Psychol Health"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref033","volume-title":"The potential impact of gamification elements on the acceptance of technology in the context of education: a literature review. BLED 2019 Proceedings","author":"J Elderen","year":"2019"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0358950.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2247","DOI":"10.3390\/su13042247","article-title":"Between level up and game over: a systematic literature review of gamification in education","volume":"13","author":"A Manzano-Le\u00f3n","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sustainability"},{"key":"pone.0358950.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.5539\/res.v14n2p32","article-title":"The active methodology of gamification to improve motivation and academic performance in educational context: a meta-analysis","volume":"14","author":"J Mula-Falcon","year":"2022","journal-title":"Rev Eur Stud"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0358950","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T17:38:56Z","timestamp":1790185136000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0358950"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Amir","family":"Karimi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Farhangian Teacher Education University: Farhangian University","place":["IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]]},"references-count":35,"journal-issue":{"issue":"9","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0358950","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]]}}}