When most people think of games, they think of fun, distraction, or maybe addiction—like how you swore you’d only play one round of Candy Crush, and suddenly it’s 2 a.m. But what if those same game mechanics could help you quit smoking, eat healthier, or get to the gym more often?
That’s where Dr. Jackie Nortje comes in.
With a PhD in gamification and a background in behavioral science, she’s using game elements in a non-game context—specifically in the health and wellness industry—to help people make lasting lifestyle changes.
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What Is Gamification?
According to Dr. Nortje, gamification is “the use of game elements in a non-game context.”
It’s not just about turning everything into a literal game—it’s about leveraging the psychological hooks that make games engaging: points, badges, leaderboards, challenges, and rewards. Think of how fitness trackers reward your step count or how Duolingo throws confetti when you complete a lesson.
These tactics work because they provide instant gratification, something often missing from long-term behavior change efforts like improving your health. You’re asking someone to go for a run now to benefit future-you, which is a tough sell. Gamification adds now-based motivation.
Applying Gamification to Health and Insurance
Dr. Nortje works for a company that supports a health and life insurance product, where the core idea is:
Healthier people = fewer insurance claims = more surplus to reinvest in the program.
They’ve applied gamification particularly to physical activity—a behavior that’s easy to track and measure. From step goals to gym visits, people earn rewards like badges, points, or even tangible incentives. Research shows that once someone starts exercising regularly, other positive behaviors (like better eating or sleep habits) often follow.
Key benefits of gamified health programs:
- Easy measurement and reward systems
- Instant feedback and gratification
- Long-term behavior reinforcement
The Non-Linear Career Path to Gamification
Dr. Nortje’s path wasn’t straightforward. Starting out with a background in applied mathematics, she thought she’d pursue lecturing. But when a job in analytics opened at her current company, she took it—and never looked back.
Eventually, an internal opportunity led her into a behavioral science team focused on health improvement. This sparked her interest in how psychology and gamification could be used for good, and in 2019, she committed to a PhD in the field—after trying and pausing an earlier attempt years before.
The Power of Quitting (Yes, Really)
A big part of her story revolves around something called the sunk cost fallacy, a behavioral bias where we stick with something just because we’ve already invested time, energy, or money—even if it no longer serves us.
“It’s a bigger waste to carry on with something that you’re not passionate about,” she says.
In 2012, she started a PhD but soon realized it wasn’t right. Instead of pushing through for the sake of it, she stepped away—a move that ultimately led her to the perfect research topic years later.
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Advice for PhDs and Career Changers
Dr. Nortje also highlights how PhDs often struggle to market their skills in industry. She encourages academics to:
- Translate research experience into industry language (e.g., project management, data analysis)
- Stop downplaying years of technical expertise
- Be aware of how cognitive biases can impact both personal and career decisions
Whether you’re a data scientist, researcher, or creative professional, you can pivot—just be aware of your motivations and mindful of the biases that may be guiding your decisions.
How to Break into Behavioral Science or Gamification
So how can someone in 2025 get started in this field?
If you’re in a developed market (e.g., US, UK, Canada):
- Look into programs like the MSc in Behavioural Science at LSE
- Gain practical experience via internships or projects in UX, public health, or product design
If you’re in an emerging market:
Read books like Nudge by Richard Thaler or Hooked by Nir Eyal
Where to Find Dr. Jackie Nortje
Dr. Nortje shares her work and insights on: