ArticleJournal of Intelligence2026
Gamification and Cognitive Factors: Research Hotspots, Knowledge Structure, and Future Directions Based on Bibliometric Analysis.
Article in Journal of Intelligence, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Gamification increasingly influences learning experiences, cognitive engagement, and behavioral performance in digital learning, cognitive training, and health intervention contexts. However, the mechanisms underlying cognitive factors, along with related research hotspots and evolutionary trends, have not been adequately synthesized. Using the Web of Science Core Collection, this study analyzes 813 publications on gamification and cognitive factors published between 2012 and 2024. Using a bibliometric method, CiteSpace was utilized to analyze publication trends, collaborations, keyword co-occurrence, cluster structures, burst terms, cited references, and knowledge-map visualizations. The cluster analysis produced 10 interrelated themes: "flipped classroom," "active learning," "continuance intention," "dementia," "executive function," "cognitive control training," "computational thinking," "cognitive training," "cognitive load" and "user experience". Potential future directions suggested by the bibliometric patterns include: (1) expanding gamification across educational contexts; (2) refining gamification theory models that focus on cognitive processes by examining user experience and cognitive load as potential mechanisms that link gamification design features to outcomes such as motivation, self-efficacy, task performance, and continuance intention; (3) promoting applications in cognitive training, cognitive impairment intervention, and digital health; (4) optimizing experimental design, data collection, interdisciplinary collaboration, and personalized design; and (5) clarifying how gamification shapes cognitive processes such as attention allocation, cognitive load regulation, problem solving, executive function, and computational thinking. This study does not aim to establish causal effects; rather, it uses bibliometric evidence to reveal the developmental trajectory, thematic structure, and emerging directions of research on gamification and cognitive factors.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.