NICKMEHR: A Framework for Gamification User Profiling Based on Empirical Evidence

Abstract. Despite growing interest in gamification across education and oth-er digital domains, empirical evidence linking user preferences to specific game elements remains fragmented and difficult to operationalize for design and research. This study addresses this gap by systematically consolidating empirical findings on user–game element relationships into a coherent user-profiling framework. Using a systematic literature review and qualitative content analysis of 54 empirical studies, it identifies recurring patterns in re-ported preferences for game elements and examines their distribution across user engagement orientations. The analysis highlights consistent yet differ-entiated patterns in how game elements are associated with users across studies, suggesting multiple, coexisting preference structures rather than a single dominant configuration. Building on these patterns, the study intro-duces the NICKMEHR framework, which classifies users into eight types structured along two analytical dimensions and grounded in empirically de-rived motivational constructs. Rather than proposing a new psychological theory, the framework organizes existing evidence into an explicit, design-oriented classification that links user types with representative game ele-ments. The framework supports systematic personalization, adaptation, and user profiling in gamified systems, with particular relevance for educational technologies while remaining applicable across contexts. Overall, the study provides a robust empirical foundation for cumulative research and future validation of user-centered gamification design.